COCA LEAVES.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 94, 12 September 1877, Page 3

COCA LEAVES.

Not long ago the papers were full of the virtues of the coca leaves, by chewing which the Peruvian Indians travel wonderful distances, and octogenarian Edinburgh professors climb mountains with the agility of lads of eighteen. All such after-dinner twaddle aside, there can be no doubt, a contemporary says, that the leaves of Erythroccylon Coca exercise a wonderful influence on the constitution, and may yet prove, a useful addition to our Materia Medica. Now we have Baron von Mueller, Director of the Melbourne Botanic Grarden, telling us of the marvellously stimulating powers of the leaves of the " pitbury," a plant found growing m desert scrubs from the Darling River and Barcoo to Western Australia. The botanical Baron is of opinion that it is derived from Duhoisia Hopwoodii, discovered by him. m 1861, and the leaves of which are chewed by the natives of "Central, Australia, m order ter invigorate themselves during long journeys through the desert. By-and-by we may perhaps see a "coca, bar" established at the railway stations, -and as assuredly the Peruvian plant produces less mischief than the London gin, as the least of two evils, the experiment inightbe worth trying. After this we might hear, of - a " Piteherino Public House," ora " Pitbury Tavera," where, the .Australian papers were taken m. . The worst of it would be that m tims '■ pitbury." would cease to stimulate, " coca -to strengthen, and even "pitcherine" to cause " intense excitement." Then we* should have "hasheesh houses" and' "opium taverns," at which, not unnaturally, a philanthropic, legislature might be inclined to draw the line.