282 
Some 18 months ago a chemist in search of notoriety spread a report 
that the berry of this shrub could replace coffee and chicory, and the 
question was E talked about and discussed, but all interest in the 
subject soon cea; 
name is Gewrtnera. It rises to a height of 10 feet, has 
but few leaves, wid the branches are wide apart. The berry, when 
gathered, is peeled, and then much resembles the coffee berry, though 
sm 
yield is far less than that of the coffee tree, and the picking more 
expensive, that is to say, about 1s. the pound. It is much doubted by 
reason of its inferiority that Mussenda could ever compete with 
coffee and chicory, even if it were cultivated. 
rom an inquiry made at the Chamber of Commerce of St. Denis on 
the subject, the correctness of the above meme is des established. 
e, &c. 
(Signed) - ' C. Sr. Jony. 
The Marquis of Salisbury, K.G., 
&c. &c. &c. 
e real value of Gertnera seeds as a coffee substitute entirely 
depends on whether or not they contain caffeine. 
. Lapeyrére, in his paper son cited (p. 292), states that the un- 
roasted € — *30 to *55 per cent. of this substance, unroasted 
coffee bea er cent. While there would be 
nothing hapéobstle ina plant belonging to the same family as coffee, 
Rubiacee, containing caffeine, it is quite the reverse in the case of a 
member of the Strychnos family, Loganiacee. A sample of the seeds 
was tiges submitted to Mr. Wyndham Dunstan, Professor of 
Chemistry to e Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, who has 
a fulished. “the following report, and the results of his examina- 
Professor Dunstan to Royan Garpens, Kew. 
eryn Society of ae nE 
sossa Square, W. 
Dear Mr. DYER, Research tabore ory, Oniot? 21, 1 9. 
I mave examined the chemical sondkitanie of seeds of Garters 
vaginata which ges sent me 
special search w as made for caffeine or any other € ewe 
One hundred and fifty | grains of the finely powdered seeds were mixed 
with fifty grains of magnesia and made into a ms with en Tos 
mixture was thoroughly dried and powdered. ‘The powder was suc 
sively exhausted with boiling chloroform, boiling aleahol, and boiling 
water, and the residue left by the evapo ts was 
carefully examined for caffeine, but not a trace of this, or indeed of any 
other alkaloid, could be detected. ' 
Ip to commu rn to the Pharmaceutical Society, at its next 
meeting in November, further details about these and other ents 
I have made. They prove beyond question that no caffeine is opes 
