The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-08-09
USE OF THE kOLA-NUT.
European Nations Adding It to
Their Army Supplies
Its Force Promoting and Life-Preserving g.
Properties Have Been Introduced Into
the United .States-Product of the
Dark Continent.


Dark Continent.
Besides Gordon. Emin Pasha and the
Matabele war, the opening of the
Dark Continent has contributed to
thu progress of humanity the kola-nut.
Within a few years, says the New
York Post, it has passed from the mar
row function of delectating barbaric
aboriginies into an extensive service of
civilized man.
Kaiser Wilhelm the Young, ever
alert to discover additional means of
preserving the peace of Europe, in
ferred from the exhaustive reports of
laborious German chemists. physiOlO-
gists and therapeuticists that it would
prodigiously increase the fighting ca
pacity of his soldiers. and Immediately
ordered it to be stored III his pacific
armament. The French republic. de-
tcrmtned that its brother Of Germany
should not beat il an inch to the goal
of peace, promptly placed the llola-nut
in the cOmmissariat of its military es-
tablishment. ThereupOn generous ri
valry stimulated Austria and Italy to
do likewise: whercupon the cOntagion
of the philanthropic impulse overcame
Russia. Mountain climbers were as
quick as peace preServerS to recognize
the Notwithstanding properties of
kola. and nearly all the Alpine clubs
in Europe have made it part of their
dietetic equipment. And finally its
force promoting and life saving quail
tiles have won for it secure admission
to the medical pharmacopGia both
abroad and in this country. 1t is,
however. much less known and used
here than there.
A marvellous property of cndOwing
its user with power to endure severe
and prolonged physical exertion, with
out taking food and without feeling
fatigue. is the particular virtue which
has attracted attention to kOla. Trav-
elers tales to this effect, at first rele-
gated to the realm of the fabulous,
were finally followed and confirmed by
scientific investigation. Among the
latest European investigators are Prof.
E. Heckel. Prof +. Schlagdenhauffen
and DR.. Leon Ernst MOnnet, and from
their authoritative reports the ma
terial of the present article is mainly
derived
Prof ITeckel tells us that the negroes
in tropical Africa easily walk over forty
miles a day with nothing to eat but one
fresh koa-nut, and that he has accom-
pliShed as surprising feat upon diet
of dry llola. He relates the experience
of two army officers who. while
4
feet of Mount Canigou, limited their
nourishment to a quantity of kOla rep
resenting about two grains of caffeine.
They rested twenty minutes, climbed
twelve hours, and found themselves on
top with no sense of fatigue and with
apparently no diminution of muscular
power. Many other officers and pri-
vate soldiers. DR.. IIcckel says, have
tested with like results the potency of
kola. He cites the experiences of sew
eral infantry officers who ate an insig-
nifcant quantity, and We're not tired
after walking in the month of July
Gorty miles in fifteen and a half hours.
At his suggestion the French Alpine
club adopted kola, and, afterwards, a
vote of thanks to the professor, declar-
ing that it had surprisingly kept them
= breath and strength.
But this striking attribute by no
means cXhausts the vitality of kOla.
The investigators, convinced that in
such an astonishing product lay benefi-
cent agencies as vet unrevealed,
promptly fell to studying its physiolog-
zeal action upon the human system
and its therapeutic possibilities Dis
cOvcries were soon announced. kOla
was a tonic for the heart, accclerating,
strengthening, and at the same time
regulating its pulsatiOns. I'm the last
stages of cardiac affection" declared
DIR. ujardinBeametz, ''kola some
times works rcsurrcctiOns." 1t revived
the pulse, increasing its fullness and
decreasing its rapidity. 1t exerted
special action upon the nervous sys-
TEN and for all arrangements thereof
was an etficaciOus remedy; and proba-
bly, through this same action it retard-
ed metamorphOsiS of the tissue. 1t
was d powerful tonic for employment
in an8mia and chronic debility, while
in convaleScence from severe feverS
and other acute disorders it greatly
promoted repair of the organism. 1t
assisted digestion and prevented dys-
pepsia. 1t had rendered signal service
in cases of sporadic cholera. 1t was
specific for inebriation. This reputa-
ton came from Zululand, where the
natives found it a godsend after con-
tact with the British chartered compa-
MES.