[An American In Dairyland]

>>I'm probably just really overreaching here, AAID, about the theobromine, but wonder if it could be available in say a powder/liquid form, and put in a nice hot cup of chocolate before bedtime. Because theobromine is derived from cacoa beans, maybe the chocolate flavor would not be altered, and one might drink a hot cup of cocoa without noticing a thing. Now, it might not kill, but might it render a victim incapacitated and unable to defend oneself<<

Theobromine is *already* in chocolate or anything derived from cocoa beans. It is naturally occurring in these things much like caffeine is.

Like caffeine, theobromine is a somewhat *inert* ingredient. It is a mild diuertic (makes a person pee) and a mild stimulant. Caffeine does the same things. That's pretty much all theobromine does to people.

Theobromine has no ability to knock a person out or disable them. In fact, as a stimulant (even though mild) it does the opposite--keeps a person awake and slightly agitated.

[Sandylapper]

Ohhhhh, o.k. I did know that caffeine was a stimulant and diuretic, but it just seems so unreal that theobromine can kill domestic pets and have no effect on human beings, even in "overdoses". You know what I mean--alcohol won't kill human beings taken in certain quantities, but still I have known people who died from alcohol poisoning. Of course, alcohol is a depressant while caffeine is a stimulant. But I do understand what you're saying, and believe you to be correct. Just trying out a new theory on how Scott might have killed Laci and wondering outloud. :o)