SUBSTITUTES AND ADULTERANTS. 209 



Dandelion Coffee. — The root of the Dandeh'on, first 

 dried, roasted and ground, is also extensively used as a 

 substitute for coffee, and is claimed by many physicians 

 to be much preferable to chicory for that purpose, its 

 infusion, decoction and extract being frequently employed 

 as a tonic and aperient, especially in disorders of the 

 liver and digestive organs. 



Spent Coffee — Prepared from "exhausted" coffee 

 grounds which are dried and re-atomized by the trans- 

 forming hand of modern chemistry, put up in shiny pack- 

 ages under seductive titles, and from which the deluded 

 and over-confiding consumer endeavors to extract a 

 desired beverage. 



Mussen,da Coffee. — A patent has recently been 

 granted in France, the object of which is to substitute 

 the berry of the Mussenda plant for the various sub- 

 stances now used for mixing with ground coffees, by 

 which the berries are roasted with the coffee in any 

 desired proportions, usually from ^ to ^ Mussenda, or 

 y^ coffee to ^ Mussenda. During the roasting process 

 a small quantity of Caramel is added to improve the 

 flavor, the compound being then ground and put up in 

 cans, possessing at least one good recommendation, 

 that of not containing any injurious properties. 



Canada Peas — Which is the most extensive form 

 of adulteration, are first roasted in the same manner as 

 coffee, but requiring a much longer time and more 

 care, as the shell of the pea does not assume a coffee- 

 color until the inside is overdone, and must be judged 

 by the inside appearance, being brittle and a little darker 

 when broken than coffee, but when ground they are 

 dry and dusty, on which account they make an excel- 

 lent compound with chicory, keeping it from forming 



