Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-06-20
VIRTUES OF COCAINE.
ITS WONDERFUL PROPERTIES A
A LOCAL ANEsrHEr.C
How It Was Discovered By a Young
Austrian Doctor.

It is probable that to no living man
does humanity owe greater debt of
gratitude than to DR.. Carl KolIor. the
discoverer Of the application of hydro
chlorate Of cocaine as a local anns-
thetic.
OF this important event one of the
most distinguished American ophthal-
mic surgeons, the late Professor c. Ii.
Agnew, said he "would rather be the
diseoyerer Of cocaine anasthesia than
President n the United States.7
In fact fmarks an epoch in surgery
only se' to the introduction of
ether and -chlorotorm. 1t Is difficult
Tor one not in daily contact with those
suffering from injury or disc Sc to
fully comprehend aud appreciate the
benefit realized in the prevention of
pain b. ile employment Of this won
derfnl remedy. A few drops of a
weak solution (two to -four per cent?
dropped into the eye robs tof sensibil-
ity to such an extent that operations
otherwise causing most excruciating
agony are not in the least painful.
The pain caused by the presence of
foreign body in the eye disappears
under its local use, and the removal of
the foreign substance is greatly facili-
tated.
The muscles of the eye may be ex-
posed and divided, as in correcting
squint OF 'cross,eye, . and the extrac-
ton Of Cataract no longer requires the
employment Of general anesthesia
with ether or chloroform. Cocaine So
luton purified by boiling has even been
successfully instilled into the anterior
chamber of the eyeball, in order TO
completely deaden sensibility in the
iris, or curtain which contains the pu-
pill in its centre.
In painful afllictions of the throat,
mouth, nose aud larynx, and in all
minor surgical operations upon these
portions Of the body, cocaine, properly
applied produces insensibility and
gives q ,e f.asn pain. Injected into
sr s7rss s..., = sssA4all ! sueliar
ion, such as the amputation Of the
fingers or toes, or the removal of small
umors, etc., may be painlessly per-
formed with the perfect consciousness,
md even with the assistance of the
patient.
Such is the dread Of ether or chloro-
form that many will bear with or con
zeal surgical maladies easily curable
in early development, until, after
months or years of suffering, they
submit too late TO heroic operation.
One of the greatest benefits to be de-
rived from this wonderful remedy is
he inducement it will offer to early
operative interference.
1t may be Of interest to know how
near others came to winning the laureIs
20 justly yielded to DR.. Koller A re-
,ent surgical writer says: cit is true
hat the anasthetic effects of cocaine
lad been discovered before Koller's re-
secured its wide application.
In 1929 3.,.9Ig ~ IL ,ais sass ss. ~Ttrac'ed
Dy Gadecke from the leaves of cry
hroxylon coca
Two years later, and indie lendeutly, |
Dr.. Samuel r. Percy, of New York,
exhibited an alkaloid lie had isolated;
md as far back as 1868 Schroff had
that cocaine produced in
of the tongue when held in
he mouth; while Morena Y Miaz dis
covered, by hypodermic injections of
he acetate, distinct loss of sensibil,ty
over fcumscribed area. And vel
t was len 10 the brilliant young Aus
rian to make the application aud win
renown," for in September,
1884, at tile Ophthalmological Congress
n Heidelberg, yeRng man hitherto
J,or,, -
n 1857, who had finished his<
course of study at the
Vienna Gymnasium in 1867, grad
lated from the Medical Department of
he University of Vienna in 1882, and
;eryed for two years as inferno az the
5eneral Hospital, announced his inn
1ortant discovery. 1t soon bee me
Known that in experimenting upon his
,wn person as to the constitutional
fleets of various alkaloids, he noticed /
hat cocaine taken into the mouth pro-
luced loss of sensation wherever it
onched the tongue or mucous. sur |
'aces. lie at once concluded that the
nerves in other parts Of the
,ody would in like manner be affected,
md within two weeks his results,
which were to be of incalculable bene-
il to mankind and win for him undy-
ny fame, were given to the world
Harper's Weekly.
Medical SuperstitiOns.
There is q popular suppcsition of
vide range, based upon | know not
What that it is very healthful for chill.