cocaine feeders

[Anne Kilmer]

"Chris J. Durden" wrote:
> 
Neil Jones wrote:
> >Note also that cocaine is the pain killer of first choice for certain eye
> >and nose surgeries.  Coca leaves are the main ingredient after water and
> >sugar in cola beverages -- are Coca Cola and Pepsico aware of this bizarre
> >plan?
> >
> - - - - -
> Both brands use an extract of the cola nut *Cola acuminata*, *C. anomala*,
> *C. nitida* or *C. verticillata* as a source of caffein.
> Coca Cola has had no essence of coca *Erythroxylon* spp. since it was
> removed from the formula about 1927.
> ...........Chris Durden
And thereto, I have a tale. 
My great grandfather, Frederick Barnett Kilmer, head chemist of Johnson
and Johnson around the turn of the century and for a good many years,
had a lovely and ditzy wife and a wonderful cook. 
The wife (or perhaps the cook) devised a delicious recipe for a coca
leaf-flavored candy. People raved about it (as you might imagine). 
The company now known as Coca Cola bought the recipe from her and found
that it did not transfer well to enormous batches of candy. 
It did, however, make a fine flavored beverage that helped the happy
housewife get through her day and greet her husband warmly when he came
home. 
These were the days of Lydia Pinkham's Female Remedy (mostly alcohol),
Brown Mixture for coughs (opium) Mother Beeton's Soothing Syrup for
fractious tots (also opium) ... relaxation was available despite
Prohibition. Ah, but the government takes care of us. 
As for the coca leaf, like marijuana, like the poppy, as it came from
God it was a fine and useful substance, good for what ails you. 
I cannot imagine any governmental body sparing either plant because an
insect feeds on it.  Gotta keep us safe from ourselves ;-) 
Anne Kilmer
South Florida