40 ERYTHROXYLON COCA 



either entirely swallowed or partially expectorated. This op< ra- 

 tion of chewing generally takes about a quarter of an hour, 

 during which period the Indians 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 European could effect ; and that an 

 Indian runner will carry a load of a hundred weight for ten 

 leagues over rough .roads in eight hours by its aid alone. Von 

 Tschudi and Dr. Scherzer have also given similar testimony to 

 the effects of coca ; and the former especially refers to the effect 

 it had on himself in greatly assisting respiration, 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 travelling 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 injury they could 

 remain eight or ten days without sleep." Dr. Weddell, Spruce, 

 Markham, and numerous other travellers and scientific observers, 

 also attribute the same effects to it. Markham says, " I chewed 

 coca, not constantly, but very frequently, and besides the agree- 

 able soothing feeling it produced, I found I could endure long 

 abstinence from food with less inconvenience than I should other- 

 wise 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 coca is taken 

 in excess it produces highly injurious effects like the immoderate 

 consumption of other stimulants or narcotics, such as fermented 



