Tapioca

Tapioca is the pith of the roots of jatropa manihot, a shrub growing in brazil and the west indies, where it is called cassava. It resembles sago, but it is less coloured, and in larger grains. The juice of the root in its primitive state is highly poisonous, and with it the indians poison their arrows. This juice is thoroughly removed by washing, and the starch or tapioca, dried in the form of grains. Tapioca is used in sick-room cookery like arrowroot and sego.

To make tapioca into a proper mucilage for the sick, 1 ounce should be macerated in a pint of water, on or near a slow fire, or in a slow oven, for one hour, then boiled ten minutes, stirring well during the boiling. The mucilage may be sweetened with sugar, or flavoured with lemon-juice. It is a nutritious farina; but by the addition of a little flour it is rendered more so. Dr. Christison says, " no amylaceous substance is so much relished by infants about the time of weaning; and in them it is less apt to turn sour during digestion than any other farinaceous food, even arrow-root not excepted.".