In cases of morphinomania, Dr. Dujardin-Beaumetz has pointed out the advantage to be obtained with the Vin Mariani, and, following him, Dr. Palmer, of Louisville, and Dr. Sigmaux Treux, of Vienna, have obtained excellent results with this therapeutic agent. Further on, we give a case of Dr. Villeneuve's, showing the cure of a morphinomaniac by the combined use of the Vin and the Pâte (Mariani).
Dr. H. Libermann recommends the use of Coca, in the form of Vin Mariani, against morphinomania, nicotinism and alcoholism.
"In general diseases it is to the stimulating properties of the plant that recourse is oftenest had. These properties make it the tonic par excellence whenever the object is to build up a system that has been enfeebled from any cause. Its preparations, accordingly, may be ordered in convalescence from all grave fevers, in anæmia and chloro-anæmia, in all diathetic or cachætic conditions, whatever may have been their original cause (chronic rheumatism, gout, genito-urinary affection, cancer, etc.), in short, in all cases where the system is debilitated from any cause whatever."
But it is, above all, in diseases that have a depressing action on the nervous system that the effect of Coca is truly marvelous. Gubler, in his Commentaires de thérapeutique, shows himself its warm champion. "Coca," says he, "very much like tea and coffee, lends to the nervous system the force with which it is charged, after the manner of a fulminate, but with this difference, that it yields it gradually and not all at once."
The theory of the fulminates, invented by M. Gubler, tallies so well with observed facts, that Mantegazza, without generalizing and without pretending to form a theory, but limiting himself to describing by simile what he had seen, truer probably than he himself supposed, said: "Under the influence of Coca, it seems that a new force is gradually introduced into our organism, like water into a sponge." (A. Dechambre.)
This opinion has been corroborated by all authors who have given attention to the question, and it may be looked upon as one of the least contestible in therapeutics.
We will add, what is quite important, that as a tonic Coca has been found far superior to cinchona, iron, strychnine, etc. Everybody knows their astringent action, which makes them give rise to such obstinate constipation that there are patients in whom it is often necessary to suspend their use. There is no such objection to Coca; it never constipates, and practically its use may be continued indefinitely.
