76 COCOA AND CHOCOLATE. 



to persons affected with phthisis or con- 

 sumption ; and, in fact, it supplies a juice 

 which is nourishing, substantial, and 

 smooth, which deadens tJze acrimony of the 

 humors; provided, as we have said, that the 

 cocoa is properly roasted, and mixed with 

 a very small quantity of spices." 



The French officer, from whose work on 

 the " Natural History of Chocolate" we have 

 already quoted, after describing the differ- 

 ent methods of raising and curing the fruit 

 and preparing it for food (which it is not 

 worth while to reproduce here, as the 

 methods have essentially changed during 

 the last fifty years) , goes on to demonstrate, 

 as the result of actual experiment, that 

 chocolate is a substance " very temperate, 

 very nourishing, and of easy digestion ; 

 very proper to repair the exhausted spirits 

 and decayed strength ; and very suitable to 

 preserve the health and prolong the lives 

 of old men." 



