WONDER DRUG.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17570, 22 June 1925, Page 11

WONDER DRUG.

MAKES MEN BRAVE. I “ AID FOR ATHLETES.” LON I lON. May I There i? a pew drug in Ihc market which, it. is claimed, is capable of bucking up ” the whole world. It is caapin, evidently the long-looked-for elixir of life, and it comes from America as a boon for a warwearied world that needs rejuvenation. Recently found by an American chemist during an expedition to the Amazon A’alley, in search of drugs, caapin (its full family name is Banistcria caapi) made its bow to the British pharmaceutical world yesterday at the chemists’ exhibition in the Holland Park ITall, London. In appearance a long, tough, ribry root, of the colour of a potato and almost without smell, caapin, it is asserted, produces a decoction that will put pep into the most jaded being, even a cricket umpire or a plumber of the music-hall joke variety. EXHILARATING. Its story is told without undue modesty on a card displayed on the “British and Colonial Pharmacist” stall at the exhibition, as follows: > Caapin (Banisteria Caapi). This is a drug recently discovered by Mr TT. IT. Rusby, the eminent American pharraacognosist, while on a drug hunt in Amazonia. It is employed by the natives.for its remarkable exhilarating effects. In Colombia a decoction is taken ' to give courage and fortitude in fac- ; ing danger and enduring suffering. AA’ithin a short time of drinkinja the decoction there is a powerful effect on the. nerve system. After a few minutes the blood rushes to the surface and the man becomes highly and even violently active. Fear and prudence vanish. He becomes extremely active muscularly. Tie is ready* to fight anything or anybody, or any number of his enemies. He rushes about seeking an enemy with the utmost eagerness. This condition lasts for hours, and is followed by exhaustion and sleep. The British public will have to wait a little time before it can sample caapin. for no supplies of the drung are at present in this country, although ar rangements arc being made for some tc be sent over. .Mr A. C. Merrill, one of the official? of the exhibition, gave additional de tails of this epoch-making drug to a “Daily Chronicle ” representative. HARMLESS. “ Caapin, in brief gives you pep,” ho said. “Jt is assumed that in minute doses it will be very valuable as a stimulant. “I am told that a man who drinks the decoction would be willing to face anything, from a mad bull to his mo-ther-in-law. According to those who know all about it, a team that drank it at half-time could not fail to win the F.A. Cup. “ Seriously speaking, it is the case that athletes drink it in America, but I should not care to say whether that is the way they win most of our championships. 11 is given in small quantities. carefully prescribed by a doctor. “ I understand it has no harmful effects, like cocaine, and is not a prohibited drug.”