622 Transactions of the American Institute. 



oil and deodorize it splendidly ; but unfortunately, the moment the 

 painter mixed it with white lead, it turned yellow, forming the chro- 

 mate of lead. (Laughter.) 



New Coffee-pot. 



Mr. O. Tinkham exhibited and explained a new coffee-pot, consist- 

 ing of three parts : 1. The ordinary coffee-pot ; 2. A small cup, 

 placed above it, with a flannel filter at the bottom in which the 

 ground coffee is to be put ; 3. A vessel with small holes in the bot- 

 tom, to be placed above the cup, and filled with water. ,The water 

 from the upper vessel descends slowly upon and percolates through 

 the coffee, receiving its aroma, and is received in the lower vessel. 

 He remarked that some philosopher had said that a man who buys 

 his coffee in packages, and expects to find it pure, " don't know beans." 

 (Laughter.) "With this apparatus, the coffee may be ground as fine as 

 meal, and yet will be clear. So far as the taste is concerned, he 

 regarded coffee boiled as coffee spoiled. 



Dr. Van der Weyde recommended making coffee by percolation 

 with cold water, and warming it afterwards. If we take the coffee, 

 after its aroma has been taken out by percolation, and attempt to 

 form a drink from it, it will be unfit to drink. 



Mr. Fisher stated that Liebig's plan was to take the grounds and 

 make coffee from them, and to mix it. with coffee made by percola- 

 tion ; thus combining the strength of the former with the flavor of 

 the latter. 



Dr. Yan der Weyde stated that in Paris they have discovered that 

 coffee beans can be made out of clay, which, mixed with the genuine 

 coffee, takes up its perfume ; and it is difficult to distinguish this 

 from the real coffee, especially after burning. 



Prof. Whitney stated that when coffee beans are roasted, the pecu- 

 liar essential principle, caffeine, is produced from the constituents of 

 the berry. This is doubtless more readily soluble in cold water than 

 the resinous matter and tannin. If we apply the leaching process, 

 we simply extract the first ; but if we apply heat we dissolve also the 

 resinous, the coloring and astringent matter, and, of course, the coffee 

 is muddy. I found it impossible to get a good cup of coffee between 

 San Francisco and Chicago, and if this principle could be applied to 

 a small portable coffee pot, to be used with an alcohol lamp, it would 

 be a blessing to travelers. 



The President remarked that condensed milk is better in flavor 

 and, he believed, healthier than cream, when mixed with coffee. 



