The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-06-19
THE MAGICAL DRUG.
Which Takes From the Knife of Sur
gerry Its Pain-Wonderful Success of the
New An@sthetic-A Great Demand 70,
Cocaine.

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A prominent eye surgeon was remoy
ing the bandages from the eye of
patient at the Post Graduate School @
Medicine recently when Tribune re
porter entered the room and asked
"Do you still use cocaine as an anasthet
ic?"
"Well, I should say so. In operation,
upon the eye feel now that could MOI
get along without it. In general practice
it has driven ether and chloroform out Of
the field. 1t is not only a wonderful
discovery, but it is astonishing how rap
idly it has risen into favor. Even the
most conservative in my profession, who
look with disfavor upon anything new,
Will acknowledge that they have at least,
heard of it."
"What is cocaine?"
1t is the alkaloid of the leaves of q
shrub, originally wild but now largely
cultivated, known as the crythroxy Ion
coca. 1t grows in South America, prin-
cipally in Peru and Bolivia, and looks
much like the ordinary tea leaf. DR.. A.
Neimann, of Goslar, Germany, gave it
its present name in 1860. But little
was then known of the properties of
the drug. In some experiments it was
found that dogs could be killed by it
when given in large doses. It's effect
was to paralyze the respiratory organs.
have been made from time
l, -. l.
been looked upon as of much value as |
therapeutic agent. That it would pro-
duce local an@sthesia was unkn own I'M
til it was accidentally discovered by q
young medical student named Roller.
at Vienna, last September. It's merits
have since been thoroughly tested and
discussed all over the civilized world. I
think that it has been tried in more
cases in this country than in any other.
md L believe that the palm for bold ex-
fermentation and demonstration of
is anasthetic properties in many
of minor surgery should be
.warded to America. There is hardly
ield in which 1t has not been used with
uccess. Too much cannot be said in
is praise in surgical operations upon
he eye, ear and nose. Almost every
onceivable operation has been tried in
hese parts with cocaine, and in cases,
ne first the patient knew-so far as
ceiling went-that any cutting had been :
one, was when the wound was being
andaged. 1t is much easier to tell s.
here it has not been used than where j.,
has been. 1t has brought sleep to
yes that would not close, soothed an Z
ry wounds so that they were painless,
opped acute hemorrhages and distress "
g asthmatic spasms, has allayed the
of the mucous lining of the a
outh, so that laryngoscopic examina-
ons could be made without distress, :,
I'd food could be given in the last o o
ages of consumption, and has made ?
g boring of the dental engine almost i ~
pleasure, and the pulling of teeth u
Unless. Its value is incalculable in ee
n@cology and genito-urinary sur u
rye" et
is 1t true, as reported, that injurious o.
ects have been found to follow the az
2 of cocaine in some cases?" IN
SO far as my experience goes-and I ie
We treated hundreds of cases in which th
has been freely used--I have yet to Oh
port the first case of injurious conse- ca
snces have heard of ore case of TO
sterical paralysis and number of 81
es OF nervous prostration following ny
use. L do not believe these condi- oil
IS were the results of the cocaine, but M
mink they grew out of another cir sp
Instance that appears in all the opera ar
IS IN which it is used. 1t is only co
Il an@sthetic; the senses remain per- Oh
;ly active, and the operations of the wa
ID normal. Although no pain OF
felt when the knife or other en-
enters the patients flesh, cal
the glistening knife and the 40
rting blood can be seen, and if the 81
ent has not strong nerves the sight The
hese things will awaken horror in era
mind and rapidly exhaust the vital see
rgy. 1t is fear more than cocain LIN
produces an i'll effect. There are sen
special cases in which cocaine can
be used to advantage. Take, for lie
ance, person of delicate nervous wal
troubled with squint OF Se'
e other eye difficulty where an op- DO
ion is necessary. The eye could be ed
thetized, but not the mind, and the a.
ent would become exceedingly his
blesome, and twist and squirm Eai
purely mental impressions, and mac
er the surgeon liable to infict an pol
y that might be fatal to the eye. 1roi
lses of this nature the old anes- pea
cs must be used.n $1,000 ly il
) cocaine made in this country?" ef'
es, it is made By number of firms. parl
n first used last fall it was put up ota'
by Merck, a German chemist, was 80.
scarce, and worth more than it's mas
ht in gold. 1t was made by eraI
t process. American chemist, as the
as there was demand for it, how with
began to experiment, and after the
his of patient trial and the destruc- after
Of large quantity of coca leaves, disg
at last gwen us an alkaloid as say,
and many think better, than 90 "
ks imported preparation. The II HI
though it has been reduced some cow
is still exorbitant and has not dry
I'd a normal basis. The demand burg
lcreased beyond the supply. 1t
Ike probably two years to bring n, Mo-
10 to its proper position as a COM s %lon {;
al articIa Tho JarnooJ for ..o., ~