626 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[February i, 1885, 



Maisch, Lossen, AVoehler, and other chemists; and the 

 results of their investigations show that its principal con« 

 stituents are, a crystalline alkaloid oalled cocaine, a vol- 

 atile odoriferous alkaloid named hyyrine, coca-tannic acid 

 and coca-war. Cocaine is described as crystallizing in small 

 colourless inodorous prisms, having a slightly bitter taste ; 

 sparingly soluble in water, more soluble in alcohol, and 

 still more so in ether; it is strongly alkaline, and in most 

 of its reactions is said to resemble atropia. When heated 

 with strong hydrochloric acid it is resolved into a new 

 alkaloid ecyonine, together with methyl alcohol aud benzoic 

 acid. Hyyi\ne at ordinary temperatures is a thick oily 

 liquid of a yellowish colour, dissolving readily in alcohol 

 and ether, but only partially soluble in water, " It poss- 

 esses a strong alkaline reactiou, a burning taste, and an 

 odour of trimethylamin." The medicinal properties of coca 

 would appear to depend essentially on cocaine and hygrine. 

 Both these alkaloids seem to be in combination with one 

 or more acids ; probably the variety of tannic acid already 

 mentioned, as the addition of lime or other alkali is said 

 to increase to a great extent the flavour and activity of 

 the drug. This latter faot has a verv important bearing 

 on the preparations of 000a; as those obtained by the 

 agency of milk of lime would thus appear to be more 

 aotive than simple infusions or extracts of the drug ; the 

 latter are, however, frequently used. 



Properties and Vse.i. — Coca has been used by the natives 

 of Peru and some other parts of South Amerioa from the 

 earliest periods. The Indians asoribe to it many and great 

 virtues. Thus they believe that it possesses marvellous 

 sustaining powers, and that its use enables them to under- 

 go great fatigue and want of sleep for a long time in 

 the absence of lood, Commonly the Indians pass whole 

 days in travelling or working without any food, but sim- 

 ply ohew cooa j but they eat freely in the evenings, It is 

 also employed as a stimulant or narootic in the same 

 manner as tobacco, opium, aud alcohol are thus* used in 

 other countries, The use of coca is also said to prevent 

 the difficulty of respiration which is generally experienced 

 in ascending high and steep mountains. The leaves are 

 likewise regarded as a very valuable application to uloers, 

 boils, &c; also to stop hemorrhage • and for the relief of 

 headache, neuralgia, &c. In the form of infusion ooca is 

 also employed in asthma, oolic, jaundice, hypochondriasis, 

 any many other affections, Indeed, coca is to the Indians 

 almost a necessity, and to be deprived of it would ha felt 

 by them more than the loss of any other substance, Every 

 Indian carries with him suspended from his belt a little 

 bag or pouoh called hualltjui or the chiupa, whioh oontains 

 ooca; aud also a little bottle-gourd or calabash (ishoupura) 

 containing some finely-powdered lime, or wood ashes formed 

 of the burut stems ot the Chenopoditim Quinoa, Oeccopia 

 peltata, or other plants. This bottle-gourd has frequently 

 a wooden or metal needle attached to its stopper ; other- 

 wise the Indian also takes with him a little stick or slip 

 of wood for the purpose of helping himself to its contents 

 as he desires. The native takes his coca three or four 

 times a day ; and in doing so he first removes the leaves 

 separately from the pouch and places them in his mouth, 

 and with his tongue forms them iuto a kind of ball ; he 

 then moisteus the slip of wood or needle in the stopper 

 of the calabash with saliva, and dips it into the lime or 

 wool ashes which is locally termed the Llipta, and presses 

 it on the ball of leaves in his mouth. The lime is added 

 as already noticed under the belief that it develops the 

 flavour of the coca, and also it is said to produce a flow 

 of saliva, which is either entirely swallowed or partially 

 expectorated. This operation of chewing generally takes 

 about a quarter of an hour during which period the Ind- 

 ians remain perfectly at rest and are silent. In some cases, 

 however, as with post-runners, drivers, and miners, the 

 chewing is continuous. 



The extraordinary virtues ascribed to coca by the Indians 

 has naturally excited the attention of numerous travellers, 

 physicians, and other persons, and their opinion of its 

 merits will be best judged of by a few references to their 

 published statements. Thus Poeppig states that the miners 

 chewing it every three hours with a handful of maize will 

 do such severe work in the mine for twelve hours as no 

 Europaan could effect; aud that an Indian runner will 

 carry a load of a hundredweight for ten leagues over 

 rough roads in eight hours by its aid alone. Vou Tschudi 



and Dr, Scherzer have also given similar testimony to 

 the effects of coca ; and the former espeoially refers to 

 the effect it had on himself in greatly assisting respir> 

 ation, and thus enabling him to ascend the mountains 

 with ease in hunting. Stevenson also, who for twenty 

 years resided in Peru, and was Secretary to the Governor 

 of Quito, states "that the natives in the mines and trav- 

 elling derive such sustenance from chewing these leaves 

 that they frequently take no food for four or five days, 

 though constantly working; and that they had told him 

 that with a good supply of coca they felt neither hunger, 

 thirst, nor fatigue, and that without inconvenience or in- 

 jury they could remain eight or ton days without sleep." 

 Dr. Wedded, Spruce, Markuam, and numerous other travel- 

 lers and scientific observers, also attribute the same 

 effects to it. Markham says, " I chewed coca, not con- 

 stantly, but very frequently, and besides the agreeable 

 soothing feeling it produoed, I found I could endure long 

 abstinence from food with less inconvenience than I should 

 otherwise have felt, and it enabled me to ascend precipitous 

 mountain sides with a feeling of lightness and elasticity, 

 and without losing breath." Most writers, however agree, 

 that when cooa is taken in excess it produces highly in- 

 jurious effects like the immoderate consumption of other 

 stimulants or narcotics, such as fermented liquors, tobacco, 

 opium, and Indian hemp. An habitual chewer is termed 

 a coqueco, aud is said to be at once known " by his hag- 

 gard look, gloomy and solitary habit, listless inability, and 

 disinclination for any aotive employment." Weddell says 

 its habitual use acts on Europeans "more prejudicially than 

 on the Indians accustomed to it from their early years ; 

 and that in some cases it causes a peculiar aberration of 

 intellect, characterized by hallucinations. Von Tschudi 

 and Poeppig also state that the result of intemperance in 

 its use is frequently oonfirmed idiocy. More recently Dr, 

 Mautegazza, of Berlin, who formerly practised in South 

 America, from numerous experiments drew the following 

 conclusions:— The leaves chewed or taken in weak in. 

 fu-ion have a stimulatingeffect on the nerves . f the stomach, 

 and thus greatly assist digestion. In a medium dose of 

 three or four drachms, ooca excites the nervous system 

 in such a manner that muscular exertion is made with 

 great ease ; then it produces a calming effect, In a large 

 dose it increases the animal heat and augments the frequi 

 ency of the pulse, ami consequently of respiration. Used 

 in excessive doses it causes delirium, hallucinations, and, 

 finally, congestion of the brain. He recommends its use 

 as an antispasmodic; for colic, flatulenoe, diarrhoea, and 

 impaired digestiou ; in dyspeptic and all spasmodic affeo. 

 tions; as a tonic in debility and nervous prostration; in 

 hysteria and melancholia; as a safe aphrodisiao in seminal 

 debility ; and in other affections. Many other practitioners 

 have also spoken in eulogistic terms of its value as a 

 remedial agent in a variety of diseases ; and the sulphate 

 of cocaine has even been recommended as a substitute for 

 sulphate of quinia in intermittent fevers. Dr. Buzzard, 

 however, who tried it extensively in epilepsy and other 

 forms of nervous diseases some years ago, obtained uo 

 striking effects from its use. 



More recently the address of Sir Robert Ohristison to 

 the Royal Bjtanical Society of Edinburgh has been especi- 

 ally the means of drawing attention to the alleged pro- 

 perties of coca. From experiments made by Christison on 

 himself, and also from those made by several students at 

 his request by chewing coca without the addition of the tlipta 

 which he regards as useless, he drew the following con- 

 clusions : — " The chewing of coca removes extreme fatigue 

 and prevents it. Hunger and thirst are suspended ; but 

 eventually appetite and digestion are unaffected. No iu- 

 iury whatever is sustained at the time or subsequently 

 in occasional trials ; but I can say nothing of what may 

 or may not happen if it be used habitually. From sixty 

 to ninety grains are sufficient for one trial; but some per- 

 sons either require more, or are constitutionally proof 

 against its restorative action. It has no effect on the 

 mental faculties, so far as my own observations go, except 

 liberating them from the dullness and drowsiness which 

 follow great bodily fatigue. I do not yet know its effect 

 on mental fatigue purely. As to the several functions, it 

 reduces the effect of severe protracted exercise in acceler- 

 ating the pulse. It increases the saliva, which, however, 

 may be no more than the effect of mastication. It does 



