COCOA AS FOOD. — ITS ADULTKUATIONS. 73 



Cocoa also contains a volatile oil, which gives its delicious 

 an una, and, no doubt, essentially adds to its refreshing and 

 <'.\h ilar.it iiiL]^ character as a beverage. 



Mr. I li)hn makes the following observations : — 



*' It is a table which is not very flattering to chemical science, 

 the analyses being of the most contradictory character, and 

 containing discrepancies which cannot be at all reconciled with 

 each other. I should judge that the analysis prepared by I)rs. 

 Play fair and Lankester is the most correct." We thus see that, 

 taking the important constituents, Cocoa contains : — 



V.xns. 



Coco.! Huttcr ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 



.■\lbuminoiil substances ... ... ... ... ... 20 



.Starch, .Sugar, &c. ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 



Salts 4 



Theobromine ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 



Other constituents ... ... 11 



100 



Taking these in the order of their imjjortance, we first notice 

 the fat, or Cocoa-butter, forms about half the substance of the nibs. 

 It is a hard, fatty substance, and wlun clarified, is of a j)ale 

 yellow colour. Its melting point is about 100" I*"ah., which being 

 the heat of the body, rentiers it of great value for therapeutical 

 purposes. The fat only becomes rancid when sul)jected to heat 

 or light, and especially to ilu* direct ra\s of the sun. It is hardly 

 necessary to point out how valuable this (juality renders this 

 portion of the bean for surgical and other purposes. The 

 albuminoid constituents form about 20 j)er cent, of the nib. 

 Thc-se are classed amongst the nitrogenous principles of food, 

 and their presence renders Cocoa one of the richest Hosh-formers 



