Short Papers and Notes. &9 
ascertain the saving which would be made, in the transit of 
provisions in time of war, by giving this beverage to the army. 
Dr. V. A. Stok, military doctor in the Netherlands army, is con- 
vinced that it can produce a very good drink for the army and 
navy hospitals.” 
It has been used with great service in dysentery and diarrhcea, 
and in all cases of nervous depression. 
Mr. A. E. Floyer, the superintendent of the Government tele- 
graphs of Egypt, considers Kola chocolate excellent for expeditions. 
He and his servant did ten hours’ very severe climbing, slept on 
the rocks, did ten miles more next day, and arrived at the camp in 
capital spirits, though all their nourishment during that period was 
(between them) four biscuits, three oranges, and three tablets of 
Kola chocolate—practically nothing but Kola. A cup of Kolatina 
taken at breakfast or at supper time regularly, or a cupful between 
meals, will produce a beautiful and stimulating effect on the 
system, replacing the craving for drink, and finally curing the 
patient of dipsomania. The great advantage in its use for this 
purpose is the fact of its being pleasant to the taste, and in the 
patient taking it without suspecting why it is administered. 
A comparison between the composition of Kola, tea, coffee, 
and cocoa, shows that the proportion of caffeine is higher in Kola 
than in any of the others, and it has more theobromine than cocoa. 
The average quantity of caffeine in Kola is about 24 per cent. 
The introduction into the stomach of three grains of caffeine, 
or the contents of one small nut, has the wonderful effect of 
sensibly reducing the decay of the system. Consequently the 
necessity for food to repair it will be lessened in equal proportion. 
—Monthly Mag. of Pharmacy. 
Ripe Coffee at thew. 
A plant of the common coffee (Coffea Arabica) is now loaded 
with ripe fruit in the palm house at Kew. Seldom even on 
tropical plantations is a tree to be seen with such a crop. Such 
an object-lesson should not be missed by those who take an 
interest in economic botany. 
Meteoric Fron, 
A meteor which fell in South Carolina with a fearful crash, 
awakening people in their beds for miles around, has recently been 
analysed with the following results :—-Iron, 85°33 ; Nickel, 13°34; 
Cobalt, 0°87; Phosphorus, 0°16; Carbon and Sulphur, traces, 
99°70. By etching on the polished surface with nitric acid the 
curious Widmannstatten figures are fully brought out. There is a 
curious circumstance in connection with meteoric iron, namely, the 
Vor. lik 5—5 
