Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 02.djvu/548

LEFT CHOCOLATE 482 CHOLERA CHOCOLATE, a preparation of the seeds of Theobroma Cacao, made by grinding the seeds mixed with water to a very fine paste. The mill is usually constructed of heavy metal rollers turn- ing in a circular course upon a flat metal plate. A curved knife or scoop is at- tached to the rollers in such wise that it shall return the paste continually to be crushed and recrushed by the rollers until it becomes almost impalpable. The object of this is to render the nut, othei'vise difficult of solution, readily diffusible in water or milk when used as a beverage. The paste when unmixed, or mixed only with flour or other farina- ceous material, is usually called cocoa, but when much sugar or spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, etc., are added, it bears the name of chocolate. The two names are much confounded commer- cially. Chocolate is molded into cakes or sold in powder or flakes formed by simply drying the paste as it conies from the mill. The seeds or nuts con- tain a large proportion (30 to 50 per cent.) of oily matter (cocoa butter). This may be partially removed or all re- tained in the chocolate. In the latter case much of it is mechanically adherent to the sugar or farinaceous matter. Chocolate is a favorite beverage in Spain, Italy, and other S. countries, especially for breakfast; the cake or powder is heated and diffused in water or milk with much stirring. The Italian rarely uses butter, but cuts his bread into sippets and dips them in his choco- late, the oily matter of which per- forms the same nutritive functions as the butter we spread on our bread. It is sometimes mixed with coffee in Italy, and there known as mischiata. It is also made into a paste with cream and sugar and frozen as Chocolate ice. Vanilla is the favorite flavoring. The name appears to be Mexican, Chocolatl (choco, "cocoa," and latl, "water"). It was introduced from America to Europe by the Spaniards. It is highly nutri- tious, containing a large proportion of nitrogenous flesh-forming material. On this account it is used as portable food by many mountaineers. An excessively rich food is obtained by preparing it with milk and then whisking in a raw egg. In the solid form, mixed with much sugar, cream, and various confec- tions. Chocolate is largely used as a sweetmeat, and is introduced in pastry. CHOCTAWS, an Indian tribe, occupy- ing a reservation in Oklahoma State. Crain, cotton, and fruit are raised by the tribe. They number about 15,000. CHOISEUL (shwaz-el'), an ancient French family which has furnished many distinguished individuals. One of the best known is Ltienne Francois, duke of Choiseul-Amboise, born in 1719, died 1785. He entered the army in early life, and, after distinguishing him- self on various occasions in the Austrian War of Succession, returned to Paris, where his intimacy with Madame de Pompadour furnished the means of grat- ifying his ambition. After having been ambassador at Rome, and at Vienna, where he concluded with Maria Theresa the treaty of alliance against Prussia, he became in reality prime minister of France, and was very popular through a series of able diplomatic measures. He negotiated the famous Family Compact which reunited the various members of the Bourbon family, and restored Cor- sica to France. His fall was brought about in 1770 by a court intrigue, sup- ported by Madame du Barry, the new favorite of the king. He was banished to his estate, but his advice in political matters was frequently taken by Louis XVI. CHOLERA, a Greek term used in the Hippocratic writings, but of indetermi- nate etymology, being derived perhaps from chole, bile, or from cholera, a water-spout, or gutter. It is now uni- versally employed in medicine as indi- cating one of two or three forms of dis- ease, characterized by vomiting and purging, followed by great prostration of strength, amounting in severe cases to fatal collapse. The variety called cholera sicca (dry cholera"), by ancient writers, in which collapse and death take place without discharges, is com- paratively rarely observed. The milder forms of Cholera occur almost every summer and autumn, even in temperate latitudes, while the more devastating and fatal forms of the disease are gen- erally supposed to originate only in tropical countries — especially in India-- and thence to be propagated epidemi- cally over vast populations, and in a somewhat irregular geographical course. The very fatal forms of the disease are commonly called Asiatic, Oriental, or Epidemic Cholera; sometimes Cholera Morbus, or Pestilential Cholera. The great Hindu festivals take place every 20 years, and always commence on April 12. The danger of the conveyance of Cholera to the countries of Europe is largest at these periods. Cholera never originates at Mecca, but is always con- veyed there from Hindustan; but for- tunately the Mecca festivals rarely co- incide in date with those of India. What is called Cholera morbus is a bilious dis- ease, long known in most countries, and is characterized by copious vomiting and