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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Withal, I have been unable to learn of a 

 single case of immediate or harmful re- 

 - action such as invariably follows the use 

 of other stimulants. It is true that ex- 

 cessive indulgence in khat, especially on 

 the part of the novice, produces a sort of 

 intoxication, with symptoms similar to 

 those observed in alcoholic cases. The 

 victim staggers, his speech becomes fool- 

 ish, and he acts as if in a sort of amiable 

 frenzy. Occasionally he has headache 

 and nausea. But such cases are exceed- 

 ingly rare and the symptoms invariably 

 depart without leaving any apparent ill 

 after-effects. 



To the charge that khat eating affects 

 the heart seriously, sufficient reply is re- 

 turned when it is said that notoriously 

 few Yemen Arabs die of heart disease, 

 and yet they constantly perform feats 

 which are supposed in civilized countries 

 to put severe taxes on the heart's action. 

 One great evil, however, that does result 

 from long-continued and excessive khat 

 eating the Yemen Arab admits, and the 

 statements of Turkish doctors in the Ye- 

 men support him : it appears to cause 

 impotency. 



Nevertheless this singularly endowed 

 plant deserves more consideration at the 

 hands of science than it has been given. 

 No one in the world would desire to in- 

 troduce the khat habit into civilized com- 

 munities, where there are too many simi- 

 lar habits already ; but its power to allevi- 

 ate suffering, to revive depressed nerves 

 and strengthen exhausted muscles — with- 

 out apparently giving rise to dangerous 

 reactions — certainlv suggests that if it 



were brought to close study and admin- 

 istered under proper control it might 

 work magical benefits upon thousands of 

 brain-harried and nerve-worn humanity. 

 At least, a plant capable of giving so much 

 pleasure to one people ought not work 

 much disaster upon another. 



the: author's sacrifice for scifncf 



Once, filled with the fervor of sacrifice 

 for science, I determined to try eating 

 khat for myself ; to get roaring, howling 

 drunk on it — - or catch those vaunted 

 glimpses of a Moslem's paradise. My 

 servant procured me a huge supply of 

 leaves and I fell upon them hungrily, 

 pencil and notebook in hand. For two 

 hours I chewed. I reduced that pile of 

 leaves to bits of stems and a few old- 

 seasoned veterans, and then my tongue, 

 harried like a hide in a vat, rose up in 

 rebellion. It filled all my mouth with a 

 protest so bitter that I had to surrender. 

 Nothing had happened. But late that 

 night I was still awake. The excited 

 brain would not let me rest. Nerves and 

 muscles ached for arduous tasks. 



At last, determined to "walk it off," I 

 slipped out of bed and went across the 

 silent, dreaming town to where lights and 

 faint strains of song told of a mabraz 

 still open ; and there, through the trellised 

 windows, I saw old Raschid, the khat 

 drunkard, with his red beard. In the 

 midst of the somber, shadow-steeped fig- 

 ures he swayed, as though dizzy with the 

 sound of his own voice, chanting the 

 Song of the Khat Eaters. 



AN APPEAL TO MEMBERS 



Your attention is earnestly directed to the two-page announcement, near the 

 third cover, of the desire to establish a National Geographic Society Ward in the 

 American Ambulance Hospital, Neuilly, Paris, France. 



There is a great need for this practical demonstration of preparedness, for 

 the hazard to life and limb is to be reckoned with. Every member should be 

 interested, and all contributions, small and large, will be welcome. There will be 

 no overhead expenses incident to this fund. Every dollar will be expended for 

 the purpose designated. 



