The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-07-09

people ri other countries paid little atten-
tion to- it, from that time until 1860. in
5tinctiyely chasing it with beiel. llaschisch
and opium. When Nieman, in that year
succeeded IN i%solating cocaine. the active
principle Of coca leaves. a series of expert
mcnts was instituted which has resulted as
he little dreamed
We are startled when we are told that
the annual yield, which finds its way into
the market Is j from thirty to forty million
pounds of leaves: and the producer can
take from one Ia five English shiliinss per
pound.
The article is TO DC found IL every drug
store, is advertised il every medical Jour
nal. and is prescribed by every physician.
In less than three years time. an article al
most unknown to the ordinary physician.
has attained an immense popularity.
As We are often confronted by this
claimant Of popular favor. the question
comes to our lips, IA. tlott for rs OF for
our enemies :? Are you an the side Of
those who would slfun all that works the
destruction Of the nervous system. debases
tie higher nature Of man and renders him
a slave or are You on the sid If alcohol,
opium and tobacco.
An ~1yerworked physician look J small
dose d cocaine. The mental stimulusthat
followed was 50 pleasing that he continued
10 take ii III increasing doses for ten days.
The desire to sleep was diminished, aud
much Of each night was spent IN mental
work, Immediately an the disconfinuanee
Of the cocaine a nervous prostration fol-
lowed, So severe that he was unable 70 do
any professional work for four months, and
his medical attendant said several months
more wauld be needed fer his restora-
tion.
Without mentioning other cases. this one
suggests the possibility Of dangerous pros
tration as the result If a long continued
use of the drug
The average time in which a eatieer runs
It's course is three years. While | have OBJ
served many eases of longer duration, |
have moi seen six terminate naturally in a
less period. Why was Gen. Grant dead in
nine months from the day be consulted his
physician for the disease t,f the throat ,
His symptoms were not severe, and did not
indicate even ordinary ~malignancy in the
case. No process Of life was interfered
with, apart from the neryeils system. We
SEQ the patient made comfortable. the life
prolonged. and even a cure effected. under
more adverse circumstances. Why, then,
did ie sueeumb 50 early 2 DIR. Shrady in
the Medical Record Of August 1st. 1885,
says: The disease terminated more rap
idly than it usually does, its course having
doubtless been aggravated BY the depres-
sion due to the unfortunate circumstances,
which embittered the closing years Of the
hero life, We admit the depressing ma
ture If the circumstances but de not be-
lieve that General Grant was the man to
be killed in that way. A more reasonable
reason is to b. found il what DR.. Shrady
says further -'The pain, although more
or less constant, was readily kept
under control by the exhibition Of minute
doses Of morphine. and the local appliea-
zion Of cocaine.
When we consider that cocaine was ap-
piled to the throat for such a length of
time. in quantities sufficient to produce the
desired effect, We only wonder that the
fatal exhaustion was SO long delayed IN
minor surgical operations, cocaine may be
used to advantage. To produce local insensi-
bility. There it is on our side. When We
SCI it in the form Of cigarettes, or any form
calculated 70 favor its use among the
masses, let rs beware-it is on the side Of
II adversaries Let MS oppose il as earn
estly as We do alcohol and opium, for the
same reasons. It is more destructive to
the nervous system than either. A trav-
eler describes the Peruvians as a nation of
imbecileS, because OF the habit of chewing
coca leaves-Hrs. q. Il. burnside, " D.