Coca and its Therapeutic Application, Third EditionMariani, Angelo
History
Coca and its Therapeutic Application, Third Edition
Mariani, Angelo
Coca -- Therapeutic use; Cocaine
Dr. Ch. Gazeau (_Thèse pour le Doctorat_, Paris, 1870, Parent, édit.,
pp. 61 _et seq._) thus sums up the physiological action of Coca: "On
the stomach, slight excitation, anæsthesia, and probably an increase
of the secretion of gastric juice; on the intestines, an increase of
the intestinal secretions, etc. These manifold physiological effects
upon the digestive tube unite in a specific action, so to speak, in the
numerous functional troubles, so varied and so ill-understood, of the
organs that compose it."
The same author cites a great number of cases of this sort in which
Coca "has never failed to exert an admirable action, often even
marvelous." And he concludes (page 65): "It seems to me useless to
bring forward more examples; these are enough to justify this positive
general conclusion: Coca is the remedy _par excellence_ for diseases of
the digestive tube."
Beugniès-Corbeau[19] prescribes it in chloro-anæmia, not only for
gastralgia, but for the frequent desire to eat which patients feel,
disappearing as soon as the first mouthful has been taken, only to
return a little while afterward.
Prof. O. Réveil ends his article on Coca as follows: "Much remains to
be done in the physiological and clinical study of Coca; it is known
that it acts on the motor and sensory nervous system. This substance is
destined some day to take an important rank in therapeutics."
In irritability and various affections of the cerebral centers, Dr. J.
Leonard Corning makes use of Coca, which he prefers to the bromides.
In a very remarkable essay on _Erythroxylon Coca_, published at
Ixelles, in 1885, a perusal of which we urge upon all who are
interested in the study of Coca, Dr. A. Feigneau says (page 61):
"There can be no mistake that, to a certain extent, Coca stimulates the
cerebra-spinal activity by suspending or retarding the destruction of
tissue in the economy, and that its action may modify the functions of
the nervous centers, provided there are no such contra-indications to
its use as active congestion, inflammation, or organic changes in these
organs."
"Consequently it would be indicated under all circumstances where a
nervous affection seemed to depend upon a state of ataxia."
"In irritations of the spinal cord, in mental aberration accompanied by
melancholia, as well as against idiopathic convulsions (Mantegazza) and
nervous paraplegia."
Dr. Beverley Robinson considers the Vin Mariani as a cardiac tonic[20]:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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