Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-23


chewed for perhaps Is or 80 minutes, and
/ the tOiler rises refreshed as quletly az De
/ Law down. and return 10 that Honotouous
round Of labor, in which the coca is AIS
only and mucb-prized distraction. ooule
takeit to excess, and to these tle name OF
coo aero is given. This is particularly
common among white Peruvlans OF good
family, and hence the name Nv bite 90
querD'' in that country is term OF re-
prOaeh equivalent to our "irrec almaoie
drunkard." The Indians regard the coca
with eLtreme reverence. Won Ischudl'
quoted BY DrSJOhnstOn in his "Chemls-
try of Common Life,' saws:
During divine worship the priests
che wed coca leaves, and unless they were
supplied with them it was believed that
the fsvef- of the gods could not be prOpl-
tiated. Ii was also deemed necessary
that the supplcator for divine grace
should approach the priests with an acul-
lien Ia his mouth. 1t was believed that
any business undertaken without the ben
ediction Of coca leaves could not prosper,
aud to the shrub itself worship was rem
dered. IWriBg an interval Of more than
three hundred years Christianity has not
been able to subdue this deep-Tooted
idolatrv, for everywhere we find traces OF
belief in she mysterious powers OF this
plant. The eXcaVatOrs In the mines OF
CeTrO de PascO throw chewed coca upon
hard veins OF metal in the belief that 1t
sottens the ore and renders il more easy
70 work. The Indians, even at the pres
ent time, put coca leaves into the
mouths OF dead persons, in order to Sc
cure them favorable reception on their
entrance into another world, and when a
Peruvian Indian on a journey falls IN
with q mummy, ne. with tlmld reYer-
ence, presents TO it some coca leaves as
his nious Offering"
The coca plant resembles tea and hops
in the nature Of its active principles, al
though differing entirely from them in its
effects. In the coqueros the latter are not
inviting,
''They are" says the traveller just
quoted, "a bad breath, pale lips and gums,
greenlsh aud stumpy teeth, and an ugly
black mark at the angles Of the mouth.
The inveterate coquerO is known at the
first glance: his unsteady gait, his yellow
skin, bis dim and sunken eyes encircled
by purple ring, his quivering lips, and
his general apathy all bear evidence of
The baneful effects Of the coca juice when
taken In excess"
The general influence of moderate
doses is gently soothing and stimulating;
but coca has in addition special and re-
markable power in enabling those who
consume it to endure sustained labor in
the absence of other food. This appears
TO be a well-attested TACT. and accOrds
strikinglY with similar effects observed in
the consumers of opium. Both coca and
opium. and to less extent alcohol and
tobacco, check waste in the body, slight
ly lowering the temperature, and econo-
MIXING more or less the expenditure Of
force. In the case of coca, opium, and
tobacco, this is well seen under hard la Dor
and in the absence Of food. Alcohol
plays, as we have already limited. pre-
cisely similar part where waste and ex-
penditure are excessive, as in some cases
Of fever. In regard to coca, Won Tschudi
says:
"a man was employed by me in very
laborious digging. During the five days
and nights he was in my service he never
tasted any food, ard took only two hours
sleep each night; but at intervals of two
and half or three hours, he repeatedly
cheWed about half an ounce OF coca
leaves, and he kept an acullico continual
ly in his mouth. | was constantly beside
hun, and therefore had the opportunity
OF closely observing him. The work for
which | engaged HIM being finished, he
| accompanied me on two days Journey
! across the level heights. Though on foot
! he kept up with the pace of my mule, and
/ halted only for the chaccar (chewing) }.
/ w iedNlhg me ne ueciafeu ne would Will
/ ingly engage himself again for the same
amount of work, and that he would 90
/ through it without food, if l would but
| allow him asufficient supply of coca. The
/ village priest assured me that this man
/ was go years Of age, and that he mad new
! er known him to be i'll In his lfe."
/ Another special effect of the coca is
| produced upon the lungs and breathing.
The Peruvian under this drug climbs
mountain passes and sustains exertiOn at
! high attitudes without breathlessness
/ Europeans in the same country have de-
| rived from coca the same effect. This re-
calls the accounts of the peasant noun
tanners of Syria in Austria. These men
eat white arsenic, which is obtaiued from
the copper mines and sold by peddlerf
throughout this region. 1t is also given
to the horses, and both man and horse de
rive the same p0wer-long-winde dness-
from its use. In Syria, however, thu
arsenic is used by the young women alsC
for the benefit Of the complexion, which
is said TO become irresislibly beautiful
under its influence; but it is not known
that coca or opium or alcohol or any othel
stimulant narcotic has any such efee
upon the skin, so that we must look else
where for motives to their consumption,