2 



COCOA. 



Wlien Cortez and the Spaniards entered the vast empire of Monte- 

 zuma, tliey found the use of cocoa or chocolate as a beverage common. 

 The emperor, however, alone drank it flavoured with vanilla from a 

 golden cup. A legend surrounds with religious veneration this sacred 

 beverage, and when Cortez sent to Charles V. the principal products of 

 the New World, he did not omit cocoa as the most healthy of the beve- 

 rages which Spain obtained by its conquests. The conquerors were 

 not slow to appreciate its excellent qualities, and introduced it into 

 Spain. 



Spain, however, for some time depended on the colonies for the 

 manufactured article, but when the art of preparing it was conveyed 

 there, the raw material was also imported. The Spaniards, by 

 jealously guarding as a secret the mode of manufacture, were able 

 to retain the monopoly of the trade in chocolate for many years. 



The value of chocolate was speedily appreciated by the physicians 

 of Europe, and Hoffmann wrote a monograph treating of it, entitled 

 ' Potus Chocolati,' in which he recommends it in many diseases, and 

 instances the case of Cardinal Eichelieu, who, he states, was cured of 

 general atrophy by its use. 



It was probably more than a century after the introduction of cocoa 

 into Europe before the English became acquainted with it. Accord- 

 ing to Mr. Hewett, the earliest mention of its use appears in a news- 

 paper called Needham's ' Mercurius Politicus,' dated the 16th of June, 

 1659. For many years England continued to import all the chocolate 

 she consumed in its manufactured state ; but I believe about the 

 commencement of last century several persons commenced the manu- 

 facture in this country. There is very strong reason to believe that 

 a knowledge of the mode of preparation was brought into England by 

 Sir Hans (then Dr.) Sloane. 



Cocoa or chocolate is, without exception, of all domestic drinks, 

 the most alimentary, and the Spaniards esteem it so necessary to the 

 health and support of the body, tLat it is considered the severest 

 punishment to withhold it, even from criminals ; nay, to be unable to. 

 procure chocolate is deemed the greatest misfortune in life. The 

 signs by which good chocolate or cocoa is known are these. It should 

 dissolve entirely in water, and be without sediment ; should be oily 

 and yet sweet in the mouth, and if genuine and carefully prepared, 

 should deposit no grits or grounds. 



The bean of the cocoa owes its properties in the first place to an 

 azotised substance, theobromine, and next to the ternary compounds 

 oil and starch. It also contains a large quantity of phosphate of lime, 

 which adds no doubt to its qualities as food. The quantity of volatile 

 substance it contains is small, though it may, to some slight degree, 

 be increased by roasting. 



The chemical composition of cocoa is shown in a table printed at 

 page 4, which gives the different analyses of any importance that have 

 been made. 



The results given are not very flattering to chemical science, the 

 analyses being of the most contradictory character, and containing 

 discrepancies which cannot be at all reconciled with each other. It 

 appears to me that the analysis prepared by Dr. Playfair is the most 



