Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-06-18
"KOIA."

luo phpuI on hOlh, IfupaToN Dy
DIR. William Q. Pierce and read before
the Society OF Natural History Of Del
aware at its April meeting, has been
printed in the Medical and Surgical
Reporter, It Ia Rs follows
One of tho most interesting articles OF
the present materia medica, whether
viewed from commercial or thera-
peutir standpoint, is kola, tho seed of
cola acuminata, of the natural order,
sterculiasim.
Attracted by tho claims made by
physicians of cminonce, both in this
country and in Europe, the writer has
made researches in tho literature avail
able upon this subject, and Is encour-
aged to present series of notuH in this
paper.
Not the least remarkable fact In con-
nection with the historylof kola, is that
its priceless qualities should so long
have been practically unknown to the
civilized world. From time immo-
mortal, kola has been employed by tho
aborigines Of Western Africa, between
Sierra Beone anl the Congo, for tho
purpose Of relieving the sense OF fatigue
due to long continued muscular exer-
tions.
The first authentic account in regard
to ii appears to have been made 10y an
Arabic physician Il. L. Ghafely, who
lived In Spain during the first half of
tho twelfth century. In l24S, lbn Ell
Berthar, distinguished Arabian bot
anist, referred to plant which is
probably the koa tree. From Has,
l4S6 most lucrative monopoly in its
sale was established by Portuguese
traders.
One OF the first English physicians
to call tho attention of his countrymen
to the tlietetic and therapeutic value
of kola, was Dr. Daniels, who related
how, when he was in garrison at Fort
Christiansburg, bn the gold cost, he
and his EUROPEAN comrades suffered
from local relaxation Of the mucous
membranes and other viscera struc-
lures; aud how he and they cured
themselves of these ailments by follow
ing the example of the natives and
using koa. Learning of these reports,
Mr.. Thomas Christy of London, QUO of
the most advanced of drug SCIENTISTS in
Great Britain, obtained samples of tho
seeds from Africa and sent them to
various invest gators, including Profs.
Hortsel and Schlagdenhauifer of Mar
seilles, Framed, and Mr.. Stearns Of
Michigan, U. S. A. The investiga-
tions of Hertsel and chlagrlenhauifer,
in 1882, gave kola a standing at once
in scientific circles. although their ex-
haustipe monograph of 400 pages pub.
lished in 1881. attracted but little at
tention in America.
The tree kola (c0la acuminata) grows
wild very generally upon the western
coast of Africa between Sierra Leone
and the Congo river, and is found as
far as GOO or 70) miles inland The
cacao and the kola belong to the same
natural order lsterculiacin. The
habits and characteristics of tho two
are very similar, ami both affect low.
warm situations. The koia resembles
our chestnut tree and attains height
OF 60 feet or more. The tree yields at
the best 100 quarts of nuts in year.
1t blossoms and bears all the year
round, but the fruit is gathered but
twice a year, In spring and fall, as we
know these seasons. The pods contains
from one to ten seeds or nuts apiece.
The nuts resemble our horse chestnuts.
Their coats arc purplish red in color,
ana the flesh within is sometimes a
pale rod, sometimes greenish yellow
approaching white. They possess a
bitter, somewhat astringent taste.
The kola nut contains almost as much
caffeine as coffee labout y. per cent,
as well as Il small amount of theobro-
mine and chemical substance known
as kolanin. Scientists state that the
Htimulant In kola is not the caffeine,
for that effects the brain rather than
the muscles, and invariably is followed
by depression. Tho negroes working
on the coffee plantations use the kola
in preferences to the coffee bean, which
contains more caffeine. 1t is deemed
certain that the stimulant is the ko-
lanin.
Under the influence of the kola nut,
negroes have been known to carry q
heavy load 4G miles, under the blazing
| tropical sun, and without food or drink.
a letter from tho British consul al
| bahia. to Lord Salisbury, says that {
load which eight brazilian negroes car
with difficulty carry, il borne by foul
| African porters, cheerfully singing ant
chanting as they trudge along, eacl
with a bit Of kola in his mouth. Ii il
related that a negro in the Congo car
| ried bag OF sugar weighing IL!
| pounds on his headf or II miles, ant
attributed his strength to the kola nu
which he constantly chewed.
| The negroes have a superstitious re
| gard for the kola and attribute all sort
of extraordinary qualities to it, Wher
4 a young bachelor goes courting ht
sends his black inamOTata como Whit
| k0la seeds. If she sends back whit
one, he orders the wedding feast; bu
j If red kola comes in its place, hI
looks for wife elsewhere. When |
negro in the Congo presents one witt
handful Of kola nuts, he is paying
the highest compliment and assurance
| Of friendship at his command. al
sorts Of social and semi religious oh
seryancea cluster about the kola nu
among those simple folk. The Moham
1 medaua declare it to have been hrough
by the prophet himself from para
disc, to protect mortala from the devi
and all sorts of diseases. Certain
tribes swear upon the kola as the mos
sacred object known to them. Fire
quently the kola nut has served a
money, and the natives of Africa uu
Goubtedly would prefer a candidate ol
kola platform to the most persuasiv
advocate Of silver or gold.
Other natione have transplanted th
kola tree successfully. Already it ha
been acclimated in the West Indies
Brazil and other South American coun
tries: ana the French are cultivatin
it successfully in their colonies o
Guadeloupe, Cayenne, Cochin Chin
and the Gabon. So far, in this coun
try, il has been grown only in botani
cal gardens at Cambridge and at Wash
ington, ID. 9.
In modern times, little attention ha
been paid to kola until very recently
although Attfield had announced tha
IL rnntainal D IL NOR cent of raiinine