Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-07-10
THE COCA OF PERU.
FROM THE "SoRrH AMERICAN !"

! FROM THE "NoRTH AMERICAN" "...
The "Travels in Peru" in ls3S-42, by Dr. j. j. Vol
Tschud German savant of which translation has
y appeared in London, yet reprinted in the United States
supplies great deal of interesting intelligence about the coun
try some portions of which feel inclined avail ourelve
for the benefit of the readers of the North American ant
United States Gazette And first of the C0cahe Peruvian
intoxicating drug the singular and efficient, and appar
emily the least destructive of all the care-king poisons
which, to alcohol, opium, hemp ava, &c,
prone to form vehement attachment Various notices o.
this drug appear the works of Peruvian travellers the
rhree Years in the Pacific of Dr. Ruschenberger United
States Navy, formerly Of this city, who brought home, and
believe, deposited specimen among the collections of the
Academy of Natural Sciences The account given by Won
Tschud is the and the fullest that have SEEM
and has indeed the merit of having been drawn up
the cocahacra plantations in the hot val
eys east of the city of Lima where it is cultivated with par
ticuar success, and where yields three crops year.
The plant Eryr0ryhn Of the botanists) is small
shrub OF six feet hgh-the part used is the dried leaves
These chewed like tobacco bu the amateur improves the
natural flavor (Which similar to that Of the kind of
green tea by the addition of little quicklne the aka
line ashes Of certain plants. The c0quos chewers who
include all the mountain Indians and laborng classes and
not few of the gentry OF Peru take at intervals three
four times day. and from an ounce TO an ounce
and half in the twenty four hours The practice of chew
ing the is Reproduced being highly unsentee and
cordngy people of fashion indulge the propensity
The attachment formed, the of other narcotic
posons, the coquero finds difficult indeed almost impos-
| sible, to relnquish it."
1.-The operation of the coca says Dr. Won Tschuli is
similar to that of narcotics administered in small doses. He
compares the effects those produced the tonga or Peru
Wan thornappe, and those by opium. " In the effects
sequent the Of opium and there this dsinc
that coca when taken
nj nlI.
like opium excites the sensby of the BRAIN and the re-
peated excitement occasoned by It's incorporate after
series of years, mental vgor and ACTIVITY Large
doses dae the pupil OF the eye and produce intolerance of
light
What astonishing about the coca is that it almost
absolute substitute for food that coners actual pow
of enduring and long protraced labor and that
though undoubtedly perncous when INDUCED great
cess its ordinary is productive Of only minor evils All
who chew have g bad BREATH pale lips and gums green
sh and stumpy teeth, and ugly black mark the angles
Of the mouth " and inveerate coquero is known the
first glance by % his unsteady gait his yellow coored skim
his dim and sunken eyes encrcled by purple ring his qu
veng lips and his general apathy But, "seing aside all
exavagnnt and visionary notions" says the author 81
clearly Of the opinion that the moderate Of the
merely innoxious, hut that may be very conducive to
health !; position supported by reference the longevity of
Indians, coqueros from boyhood.
THAT the coca he adds, is in the highest degree nutr
ton tact beyond dispute. he incredible fatges
ed by the Peruvian infantry with spare diet but with
regular the the aborous toll OF the Indian miner
kept under similar circumstances hroug long
years. certainly afford sufficient ground for abutng TO the
leaves not quality of temporary stimulus but
powerful nutritve principle OF the great power Of the In
dans in enduring fatigue with other than coca
may here mention example. Choo of Huari, named
llaum uamang employed by in very aborious dig
gins During the whole time he was in my service viz. fire
days and nights he tasted food ony
hors sleep nightly But at intervals of two and half three
hours he regularly mascaed about half leaves
aud he kept dcco Tor qud) continually in his mouth.
constantly beside him. and therefore had the opportunity
OF closely observing him. The work tor which engaged him
being finished he accompanied two days Journey of
leagues level heights Though on foot
he kept up with the pace Of my mule aud halted only for the
chaccar, Tor chewing On leaving he declared that he
would willingly engage himself again Tor the Of
work aud that he would through without food If would
but allow him sufficient supply of The village priest
assured me that his ro years Of age, and that
he had never known him to be i'll in his life"
The is the best preventive Of the difficult respiration
felt in the rapid Of the Cordiera Won rschudi
bears witness from his personal experience" He
drank the Infusion which enabled him ''durng the whole
day climb the heights and follow the swift footed wild ami
mails at elevation OF IA 600 feet nbove the with
much hunting the coast Nor did be suffer from
symptoms OF cerebral excitement uneasness Of any kind
and the usual returns Of hunger retarded.
The INDUCED in by the Peruvian Indians in the
remo,es times 1t employed in their lgous ceremonies
and still connected with Of their and deep
superstions The clergy and the public authorities there
fore. endenvorcd TO extrpaie vain the miners
and andheders found that the Inans could not labor without
il and now the only permitted but despite the
edcs Of the fashionable against recommended by Peruvian
philosophers, and the plant itself is regarded by calm and
udcious German physician ia great blessing 10 Peru
We surprised that American medical have
not caused To be imported for experimental purposes II is
manifest taat substance possessing such properties regarded
as medicine merely, must he capable e numerous important
applications IN disease II is equally clear that, forming
part OF the stores for and travellers long voyages
and on the route to Oregon and California; might supply
the Of sustaining life and effort amid the horrors of ship
wreck add the desert The price rarm, the paa
TONS averages twentyfour pound and tins would
doubtless be doubled when brought 10 hs United States But
when we remember that makes full days
supply, cannot he denied that would be- cheap resource
whether as medicine or preventive Of starvation.
bocrsrS These strange vsfers have made hr appear.
ance IN many parts Of country again. In Henderson,
Mcdowell, Rutherford, &c millions Of them have made the
wekn mig with their merry song for weeks past The whole
earth seems to have been perforated by them in their escape
from IT. which they have 50 long inhabited II has been just
seventeen years since they appeared before where they
are They extend within eight miles Of Ahcvie the south
and east II i said that they but forty days; if So
their day Of probation will pass away during the present week
They have created perfect harvest for hogs, squirrels
keys, geese, &c, and dogs them Their bodies
black and their wings four number, light transparent
color They kill great deal Of young growth, mostly chest
nut, sourwood, chinqucpin, and fruit trees
Highland (N CO. Messenger