COCOA AS FOOD. ITS ADULTERATIONS. 83 



I )r. ( rcspi, ill a n.-cc-iu .uiicle, siiys : — 



" Unfortunately \vc have of late years seen the country 

 noodetl with foreign Cocoas, pure in great measure — that is, 

 innocent of starch and sugar — but contaminated with an admixture 

 of alkali. The exact percentage of these additions and the steps 

 in the process are not, however, perfectly clear. The object of 

 this adulteration is this : Cocoa does not give an infusion or 

 decoction, but mixed with water is practically an emulsion ; it is 

 suspended, not dissolved. Now the addition of an alkali gives 

 rise to a soap, in plain English, much as when common soap — 

 a compound of oil and alkalies — is mixed with water ; but this 

 alkalised Cocoa has an appearance of strength which it does not 

 possess, and the ignorant consumer hastily assumes that he is 

 getting far more for his money and being supplied with a much 

 better article, so that he cheerfully pays a higher price for his 

 medicated beverage. Hut we are not so much concerned with 

 the actual injury done by the adulteration of Cocoa with alkalies 

 as with the principle. The recent great improvements in the 

 preparation of Cocoa, as we have said above, by removing the 

 superabundant oil, have so much increased the digestibility of 

 this nutritious beverage that the last excuse for the addition of 

 alkalies and starch is gone, and the presence of the former, besides 

 being deleterious to some constitutions, cannot answer any purpose 

 exce[)t giving an appearance of fictitious strength." 



it may be as well also to add the opinion of 1 >r. Sidney 

 Ringer, Professor of Medicine at the University College, L«)ndon, 

 aiul Physician to the College Hospital; jx.-rhaj)S the greatest 

 luiglish authority on the action of drugs. 



