Coca and its Therapeutic Application, Third Edition

An evocative snapshot of late‑nineteenth‑century medicine, this work gathers the passionate advocacy of a French‑Italian botanist who spent years cultivating the coca plant in his Parisian laboratory. Written for physicians, it blends personal dedication with a scholarly overview of coca’s history, from its Andean roots to its emergence as a purported tonic for nervous exhaustion.

The text is richly illustrated with original drawings of leaves, flowers and seeds, and offers detailed observations on growing conditions, grafting methods, and the plant’s chemistry as understood at the time. Contemporary doctors such as Fauvel, Mackenzie and Elsberg are quoted, highlighting early uses of coca for laryngeal health, analgesia and digestive complaints, while also noting the scientific debates sparked by recent Viennese research.

Listeners will find a compelling portrait of a period when the line between remedy and curiosity was still being drawn, revealing how a humble shrub captured the imagination of the medical community and paved the way for modern pharmacology.