The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-05


December or January, and attains full size
in five or six years. cannot ascertain
Just how long its life is, but it is probably
about eight or nine years. These leaves
are exported in large quantities, and the
annual duties realized by the Peruvian
government amounts to about 100000.
As early as 1869 Monardes described it,
and about 100 years afterward, one Gu
sent to Europe in 1850 by Jussen, who
gave it the name coca, which means the
plant, or the tree, lie. divine plant or tree,
from its supposed specially divine origin
and benefcient properties. This is case
quite analogous to the naming OF the castor
oil plant balm OF Christ" or Palma
Christi, by the monks OF the middle ages,
whose sedentary habits predisposed them
to constipation. From time immemorial
this plant, the erythroxylon coca, had
been used among the aborignes OF South
America las wonderful stimulant,
divine gift to them. Superstition has
invested il with miraculous powers in the
performance of religious ceremonies and
ali great and important works. In Peru,
at one time the very fields in which it
grew we're venerated as sanctuaries.
Talismans we're made from the leaves;
favors OF fortune, triumphs in love, cure OF
disease and relief from pains were obtained
By its powers; oraces were made to speak
and their responses were rendered less
farceful by coca offerings. Its presence in
their homes kept away accidents and pre-
vented crime. None could visit the tombs
OF ancestors, nor invoket their aid and guild
ance without some coca in their mouths.
For a long time, none were considered
worthy TO use the sacred plant except lncas,
| and those rendered worthy some special
virtue, as loyalty, bravery or hcroism, and
such high honor was esteemed beyond
gold and silver, and all political prefer
ments Apart from the virtues thought TO
be present by the exaggeration OF supersti-
ton, the Spaniards long ago learned its
power as food replacing agent. Indian
guides and burden carriers across the
| Peruvian Andes sustained their strength,
without food or water, and but q few hours
sleep, for days, by chewing the leaves and
swallowing the saliva.
This quite naturally brings us to con-
sideration OF the action of the decoction OF
coca upon the human system, in u state Of
ordinary health. In addition TO this food
replacing power we find ii acts as q power
| full muscular and nerve tonic. Indeed,
Fuentes, OF Lima, called IL the "most
tonic plant in the vegetable kingdom. !"
Montagaria, in 1859, recites that mode
rate dose OF the infusion produced in him
sell feeling OF increased strength, with a
desire to exert HIMSELF and alter rs much
as eighteen teaspoonfuls he was able, with
out inconvenience, 10 abstain from food
for forty hours. Larger doses produced
increased pulse rate and respiration, fol-
lowed by flashes, vertigo, Authorization
and dehrium. all indications oil an exalted
and exhilarated condition OF the nerve
centers These phenomena are attested 10y
quite number. II not all, who have eX.
perimenied aud given ms the results for
our benefit II is also attested by these
experimenters, especially 10y DR.. Moore,
that this state OF excitement is soon fol.
lowed by marked quietude, and, finally,
by moderate anesthesia. This excellent
author declares that this action is nm indi
cation for its exhibition in certain painful
affections of the stomach. With him
given In small doses often repeated, II pro
duced sleep when opiatcs had failed. M,
advanced the idea that its best use lay IN
treating hypochondria and melnncholia
as il promoted cheeTiulncss. To supper
this view We find in brain Exhaustion,
by DR.. Leonard Corning, that coca is th'
remedy par excellence against worry.
Though ] am mindful OF the limit
which should restrain me here, ! canno
refrain from making brief DEPRESSION II
this connection from the trend OF my pre-
sentation OF the subject per Sc. II Is q
emphasize the unquestionable value q
any remedy that may guard our rae
I against that phase Of nervous irritabilit.
. and exhaustion called worry. DIR. Talmage
, the great Brooklyn pulpit orator, laid grea
/, stress in recent sermon upon the fac
that worry, not work, was what shorlenc'
human lilo. In fact work. proper exhI
bition OF functional power, a. | say, u bu
a series OF wearing out that enRender
immediate physiological reconstruction.
presuppose that the work In not prolongc'
nnduly 10 actual exhaustion or prostra
! ton. My own arm grows In both size an'
functional power when ! judiciously wea
, IL out from day TO day. use the term /
, wear out in the popular sense, and meal
, by IL, rs you understand, 10 bring abou
/ constant molecular change and thercb
/. rapid atomic renewal. Worry, not work
, wears us out in the full meaning Of Oh
, term. and he II certainly q benciactor :
: tho human race who enables IA 10 guar
! against II, second only to the benihcen
! Giver Of all Good.
But 10 return. spanish-Amcrican physi
/, clans have repeatedly assured us OF the %
, cellent action OF coco In inertia uteri; ais
a in cholera mofbus, the cramping an
J. vomiting speedily yielding. IL has bee
n suggested that Il might be utilized !
!, cholera itself with good results. In asthm
. also Il has been used.
= But. next 10 lis use rs general remcd,
!, specially a. a tonic, the most brilliant Q,
/, suits have been obtained by the laryr
. biologists. DIR. Flayel, Of Paris, was abot
!. the iirst 10 use II as tonic 10 the VOC
q chords. lie was led 20 its use by the n
= peaied statements OF an old priest. VIII
= said that whenever he had long scryi,
1, 10 render he took Il for ten days bcfor
= and always with the effect OF incrcasin
= the volume and endurance Of his VOC
I, powers. Tho doctor used II a. spray, ,
% with brush, with such good effect tn
q he called Il the tcnsor par excellence
A the vocal chords.
!. Again, authorities In this and 9TH
~ countries have urged It's usefulness
|. treating the opium habit
y The limit imposed upon me In this pap
!. forbids that / should dwell at great
= length upon the use Of coca itself. "
a have seen how useful and how far.rcnc
:. ing the province Of this agent Is. But
n us the meat Of II all IL found In the uEc
No Us extractiye, IT. alkalo.d, called cocaiI
In corocalna, ~ II was at first denominaie
M Although first isolated In 1855 by Ga
n dcke, who called Il crythroxyline, fro
er that portion Of its name that describes Il
al color Of the bark, Il was separated by i
no A. Niemann, Of Gaslar. Germany, In lSo