COFFEE

n. Ko2f'e. Lat., caffea [U. S. Ph., 1870]. Fr., cafe!FFr. Cod.]. Ger., Kafe, Kaffee. It., caffe. Sp., cafe. Ar., bun or bo,won. Malay, kaeba. Hind., kahwa (according to Lane, kahwa is the old Arabic for wine), bun, kaf i. Chin., kiafi-cha. Egyptian, eleane. The seed of Coffea arabica, also an infusion of the same. The seeds contain, on analysis, 34 per cent, of cellulose, 12 per cent, of water, 10 to 13 per cent, of fatty matter, 15-5 per cent, of glucose, 10 per cent, of legumin, 3'5 per cent, of chlorogenate of pota ium and caffeine, a small per cent, of oil and mineral substances, and caffetannic and caffeic acids. An empyreumatic oil is developed in roasting the seeds. The action of c. is that of a cerebral stimulant; hence its use as an antidote in opium poisoning. It is given with benefit in nervous headache, spasmodic asthma, and whooping-cough. It is also used in diarrhoea and amenorrhoea. It is a good vehicle for administering quinine, the bitterne of which it disguises. It retards ti ue waste. [A, 496 (a, 24); B, 5, 172, 180, 275 (a, 24).] Acorn c. See under ACORN. Arabian c. Fr., cafe d'Arable. Ger., arabische Kaffee. The seed of the Coffea arabica; ordinary coffee. [B.] Arabian c.-tree. The Coffea arabica. [B, 275 (a, 24).] California c.-tree. The Rhamnus californica. [B, 275 (a, 24).] C. bean. See C. C.-bean tree. The Gym no clad us can a dens is. [B. 19 (a, 24).] C. berry. The seeds of the Coffea arabica. [L, 73.] C. blight. A disease of the c.-plant caused by O, no; O, not; O", whole; Th, thin; Th2, the; U, like oo in too; [s. 337]