340 
ON GUARANA. 
Soda, potassa and ammonia, either in the caustic state, or 
that of a carbonate, produces no appreciable effect. 
Journ. de Pharmacie. 
ART. LXVI. — NOTE UPON THE MEDICAL NATURAL HIS- 
TORY OF A CONCRETE JUICE COMING FROM BRAZIL, 
UNDER THE NAME OF GUARANA. 
As the utility of this substance, as a tonic, has been stated 
anew, and as it also contains cafeine, we are induced to make 
known its origin more particularly than has jet been done. 
In fact, it was in the first instance announced in the year 
1817, and described by Cadet Gassicourt,* without his point- 
ing out the plant by which it was produced. The learned Ba- 
varian botanist, Von Martius, did not determine this until the 
year 1826. Theod. Martius, the younger, made an analysis 
of the juice or extract, and determined the presence of Guara- 
nia;\ a bitter principle without alkaloid properties. Tromms- 
dorff, who examined it also, in 1831, supposed this guaranine 
to be similar to caryophylline. It has no more effect than the 
latter upon animals to whom it is exhibited. 
The name Guaranadoes not belong to the plant from which 
this product is derived, but rather to the half savage people 
who extract it, and employ it themselves as a necessary di- 
gestive for their diet, which is entirely vegetable. Travellers 
have found the greater portion of the tribe of the Guaranis 
dispersed between the rivers Parana and Uruguay, in those 
marshy countries of Buenos Ayres and Paraguay, which lie 
between 29 and 30 South Latitude, living solely upon ma- 
nioc, ignames, and corn. They are very weak, pale, indolent 
and depressed, although of tall stature, yet lank. 
On this account, it is that these Indians became easily sub- 
* Journal de Pharmacie. 
f Chimie de Berzelius, tome v., p. 189.--.Fr. Trans. 
