38 



and death. On the other hand, Avhen taken moderately, it is 

 harmless, and even conducive to health, especially to those living- 

 in want and exposure. Coca chewers are usually very long-lived. 



Coca has two very important properties : First, It lessens the 

 necessity for food, and gives great endurance in fatigue. The 

 Indian toils day after day, in the tropical sun, or carries heavy 

 burdens long distances, having only a handful or so of maize as 

 food ; he however works well and is cheerful, if not deprived of 

 his coca. In fact, it may almost be made a substitute for food. — 

 Secondly — The leaf, either chewed, or taken as an infusion, 

 prevents the difficulty of respiration felt in ascending the Andes. 

 This fact has led to its trial in some forms of chest complaints. 



Though it is true that all writers, and all those who have 

 either used the drug, or seen it used in its native clime, 

 abundantly testify to its wonderful powers in assisting respiration 

 while crossing the Andes, &c., in supporting and sustaining the 

 vital powers while undergoing severe and protracted exposure 

 and labour without sufficient food or rest yet, experiments tried 

 in England, and elsewhere, go to prove that the wonderful 

 powers attributed to it, are nearly all, if not entirely wanting. 

 Weston, the pedestrian, in a letter to the " Lancet," states that 

 in his case it was worse than useless, and, in fact, attributed to 

 trying it, a fit of vertigo which seized him during one of his 

 feats. 



Mr.Dowdswell made some very extended experiments with it, 

 at the laboratory of the University of London, and concludes that 

 his results are at the best — negative. On the other hand, some 

 claim to have seen benefit follow its use. One gentleman, in a 

 letter to the " Lancet, " although disclaiming any benefit from its 

 use in increasing his powers of endurance, states that it had a 

 wonderful action on his nervous system. It seems this gentleman 

 was extremely nervous while shooting and usually missed his 

 bird, however, after taking the coca his nervous system seemed 

 so fortified, that his game bag, instead of remaining empty as 

 usual, was soon well stocked. 



Now how can these discrepancies be explained, that in Peru, 

 Bolivia &c., the results are so marvellous, while in England 

 and elsewhere they are so slight and unsatisfactory. The 

 following two causes will, I think, account for the difference: — 



1st. That thePeruvians and other tribes keep the best leaves 

 for themselves, and export the inferior ones, as it is well known 

 the Chinese do, in the exportation of tea. 



2nd. That the sea air must in some way aff'ect its efficacy as 

 it is supposed to do in the case of thecanabis indica, the value of 

 which in tetanus is strikingly impared. To get the full benefit 

 of the coca leaf in Europe, I should be inclined to advise that 

 an extract should be made of the leaves on the plantations, this, 

 at any rate, would insure against any effect the sea air might 

 have. 



I will conclude this paper, by giving some instances where in 



