6$o 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[February 2, 1885, 



as easily and as rapidly decomposed into inert substances 

 in action as it appears to be in the process of extraction 

 from the leaves ? Or it is simply diluted as it is absorbed 

 into the circulating fluids, and simply ceases to act from 

 dilution ? 



Another curious point is its differing activity upon 

 different persons. A piece of paper j nf an inch square, 

 wetted with a 4 per cent solution and laid upon the 

 tongue, will give a pretty distinct sensation of the size 

 and even the form of the inseusitive or numb spot within 

 one minute on some persons, while in others it will take 

 twice and three times that length of time, and give a 

 more faint impression, while in one case met with it 

 gave no impression at all. Bibulous paper wetted with 

 the solution and dried may be carried in the pocket, 

 certainly for some days, and probably for an indefinite 

 period, and when cut and laid upon the moist tongue 

 will promptly produce the characteristic effect. 



The agent, for reasons given above, must always be an 

 expensive one unless it should be made synthetically, as 

 is not improbable,— but the expense, for many uses at 

 least, is not so great as appears at first sight. Take its 

 U6e in eye surgery as a good example. For any ordinary 

 eye operation 2 fluid ounces of ether or more are required 

 for an anaesthesia, costing not less than 10 cents at the 

 least. Five minims of the 4 per cent solution of the 

 cocaine salt gives the required local anaesthesia at a cost, 

 after the present excitement passes, of not over 5 or 

 6 cents, while the time and skill required in the two 

 applications are pretty nearly equalized. But in the one 

 case the whole organism has to be anaesthetized for an 

 operation of a few minutes upon a single small part, 

 while in the other case only the part itself is rendered 

 anaesthetic. Should the demand for salts of cocaine re- 

 main greater than the supply, and very few people be 

 able to get good coca, or learn how to make the salts, 

 as is not improbable for some months at least, holding 

 the price still up to, say, I'OO dollar per fluid drachm for 

 the 4 per cent solution, this would give about 167 cent 

 per minim, or 8'33 cents for a single anaesthesia for the 

 eye, and a proportionate cost for other uses. 



The opportunities for an extensive use of the agent are 

 very numerous and important. Its principal effects so 

 far have been for the most part upon mucous membranes, 

 or upon surfaces denuded of cuticle, and it is not known 

 how far it will affect unbroken skin or the tissues beneath. 

 Some superficial neuralgias are said to have been benefited 

 by the application of the solution, and upon this the 

 writer has suggested the use of the paper wetted with 

 the solution and then dried— the paper to be cut of the 

 Bize of the superficial pain— to be wetted and applied to 

 the part, and then to be covered with oiled silk a little 

 larger than the paper. The results of 6uch applications 

 have not yet been heard from. 



A far better preparation for such uses would be, how- 

 ever, an oleate of cocaine. The alkaloid unites directly 

 with oleic acid and forms a true salt, and this salt is a 

 principal object the writer has in view if he should finally 

 succeed in making the alkaloid. The facility with which 

 the6e olestes are absorbed by sound skin, aud the depth 

 to which they probably penetrate before being too much 

 diluted by the circulating fluids, give, theoretically, great 

 promise for the use of euch a preparation for the relief 

 of local pain. ( 



In short there can hardly be imagined a larger fieid of 

 usefulness than is now open for iuvestigation by means 

 of this new agent, and although there will be many dis- 

 appointments and very much over-zealous enthusiasm, it is 

 fortunate that but little harm can be dene with it Aeyofid 

 the waste of so scarce and valuable a substance, as there 

 has been no case yet reported in which any poisonous or 

 bad effects have resulted from its use evon when Internally 

 administered in grain doses. 



The close relationship, if not identity, in physiological 

 effects and popular usage of coca with tea and coffee, as 

 ft nervous stimulant, has led to the rational inference 

 that caffeine might also prove to be a sedative or an- 

 esthetic like cocaine, and some trials of caffeine have been 

 published as unsatisfactory. But all the trials published 

 as well as those heard of from private sources, have 

 j>o$ been eo conducted a» to be conclusive, when 



compared as they exist in coca and in tea, cocaine is 

 about eight times stronger than caffeine, and therefore 

 it might be expected that a :!2 per cent solution of 

 caffeine would be required to do what a 4 cent sol- 

 ution of cocaine would do, and such a solution is at present 

 impracticable. Besides, it is reported that solutions of 

 caffeine are irritant to the eye. — Pharmaceutical Journal. 



The Fallixo Leaves. — Concerning an article on the above 

 subject (p. 514), which appeared in our issue of October 

 25, we desire to state that the figures in the summary of 

 analysis should have been preceded by a decimal point in 

 each instance, otherwise they are true and consequently 

 misleading. About utilising leaves there is uot much to be 

 said in general, it depends so much on locality. As the 

 soil here is stiff clay or sand, I always use them (as hot- 

 bed manure mixed with dung) as manure direct from the 

 hotbeds, or after another year, according to my require- 

 ments, and find their humus doing such good service iu 

 bettering the physical condition of the land that I do not 

 care to destroy that part by mixing with lime or other 

 caustic materials ; but if I had a soil already rich in humus 

 I should very likely do so. As recommended in the article, 

 muriate of potash will, in default of wood-ashes, be a good 

 addition to leaf-manure, as it supplies the wanting potash, 

 and very likely is the cheapest form in which that im- 

 portant food can be bough'. I believe I have seen some- 

 where that the chlorine (which with potassium in about 

 equal parts make muriate of potash) contained may be 

 injurious, but I never saw it have that effect when used 

 in small quantities as an addition to other manures. — M. 

 P. Andeksen. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



Koi.a Nuts. — The Journ. de Pharm. et de Chim. (October 

 1S84) publishes a series of formula} of preparations of 

 Kola, by M. Natton, prefaced by the subjoined note on 

 them, by Dr. Dujardin Beaumetz, which was read before 

 the Societe de Therapeutique on May 28, 1884. Dr. 

 Dujardin says kola nuts are produced by the Sterculia 

 kola, a tree of Central Africa. There the kola is the remedy 

 for all diseases, and is almost worshipped by the natives. 

 It is sold at high prices, and no important bargain is ever 

 concluded without a gift- of kola. The natives have found 

 this fruit to possess tonic, nutritive, stimulating, and aphro- 

 disiac properties. They use an infusion of the roasted 

 nut as well as the nut in its natural state. Analysis shows 

 that kola contains a large proportion of caffeine with a 

 little theobromine and tannin. Its u=e is, therefore, in- 

 dicated in the chronic diarrhcea of hot countries, where 

 it has been successfully employed by naval surgeons in 

 stomach complaints and in cachexia. Dr. Dujardin Beaumetz 

 himself has found it useful in chronic diarrhoea and in 

 cardiac affections. He gives 15 grammes (about h oz.) in 

 the course of the day in two cups of infusion of the roasted 

 kola, or as an elixir, or as a chocolate. M. Natton's 

 formulae are applicable either to the natural or the roasted 

 kola. A tincture is made by macerating for fifteen days 

 1 part of kola in 5 parts of alcohol 60'-'; a wine by macerat- 

 ing for fifteen dayB 100 grammes in a litre; an extract by 

 percolating 100 grammes with alcohol 60° and concertrat- 

 ing the percolate to the proper consistence ; a syrup is made 

 similarly, but instead of concentrating the percolate Is made 

 with 6Ugar to weigh 1 kilogramme, Pills are made from the 

 extract, 10 centigrammes in each with some powdered kola, 

 an alcoholate by macerating 1 part of fresh scraped kola 

 in 6 parts of alcohol 80° for fifteen days j an elixir by 

 mixing together equal parts of the alcoholate and of simple 

 syrup ; a saccharate, by rubbing together 1 part of fresh 

 kola with 2 parts of sugar sifting and drying; lozenges 

 from the saccharate with 1 part of tragacanth and 6 

 parts of water to 100 parts of saccharate with any desired 

 flavour; a chocolate with 60 grammes of the saccharate, 

 40 gramme of cocoa powder, and k gramme of cinnamon. 

 Lastly M. Natton gives the following form for a pleasant 

 mixture of kola : — 



Alcoholate or tincture 5 to 20 grammes 



Tincture of cinnamon 1 „ 



Brandy q. V. 



Syrup of orange 30 grammes 



Distilled water ... ,„ ,,, ,„ „> 160 „ 

 — Chemist and JJruygitt, 



