'170  Some  African  Kolas.  j 
The  entire  composition  of  the  kola  nut  is  compared  by  the  authors  with 
that  of  tea,  coffee  and  cacao  as  follows  : 
Cacao 
(Mitscherlich) 
Coffee  (Payen). 
Tea 
Green  Black 
(Peligot). 
Kola 
(Authors'). 
53-00 
13-00 
1-50 
0-04 
13-00 
13-00 
0-28 
300 
0-585 
6-761 
0*023 
2-348 
undct. 
2-80 
2-25 
0-003 
0-43 
0-79 
2-22 
8-58 
17-08 
17-24 
2-22 
22-80 
17-80 
5-56 
0-46 
0-  60 
3-64 
7-28 
26-18 
19-20 
1-  84 
19-88 
12-88 
5-24 

0-5  | 
1550 
2-875 
33-754 
29-831 
2-561 
1*290 
Coloring  Matters  
Coloring  Matters  

5-00 
• 
34-00 
1-618 
3-395 
11-909 
3-60 
6-00 
 1 
6-697 
12-00 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
100  -oo 
These  results,  it  is  pointed  out,  differ  somewhat  from  those  obtained  by 
Attneld  {Pharm.  Journ.,  [2],  vi,  457,)  especially  in  the  recognition  of  the 
presence  of  a  second  alkaloid  and  of  tannin.  The  proportion  of  caffeine  is 
higher  than  that  observed  in  any  coffee,  or,  except  in  rare  instances,  in  tea, 
and  exceeds  that  of  theobromine  in  cacao.  The  alkaloid  exists  in  kola,  as 
in  tea,  uncombined,  but  in  coffee,  according  to  Payen,  it  is  present  as  chlo- 
rogeuate  of  potassium  and  caffeine.  It  is  worth  mentioning  that  the  authors 
report  the  presence  of  a  considerable  proportion  of  caffeine  and  some  theo- 
bromine in  the  pericarp,  but  the  material  at  their  disposal  was  too  scanty 
for  an  exhaustive  investigation  in  this  direction.  The  leaves,  wood  and 
bark  were  also  examined  for  alkaloid,  but  gave  negative  results.  As  in  the 
case  of  coffee,  kola  undergoes  a  considerable  loss  of  caffeine  (three-fourths) 
during  roasting,  while  the  quantity  of  essential  oil  present  is  augmented. 
Some  experiments  have  been  made  with  this  kind  of  kola  in  the  treat- 
ment of  the  atonic  diarrhoea  to  which  Europeans  are  frequently  liable  in 
tropical  countries.  The  results  have  been  fairly  satisfactory,  and  through 
ttoe  efforts  of  M.  Heckel  the  medicine  has  been  supplied  to  some  French 
colonial  stations  for  a  systematic  trial.  The  preparations  used  are  an 
aqueous  extract,  an  alcoholic  extract  and  a  wine.    The  alcoholic  extract  is 
