Kola Nuts

Kola Nuts, or GURU NUTS, the seeds of Sterculia acuminata, a tree native to the regions of Africa south of 7° 30' lat. From the 17th century traders brought home marvellous stories of these nuts; but it was in 1865 that Dr Daniell discovered that they contained an alkaloid identical with that found in tea, coffee, maté, and guarana, and from that time they have received more attention. In the Soudan they are valued so highly that no greater honour can be given than the presentation of some of the nuts. In times of drought a single nut has bought a slave, while a bride of the highest family has often been sold for a handful. This excessive value is due to the possession of remarkable virtues, the explanation of which is still wanting. The natives chew the nuts, extracting the juice and spitting out the fibrous matter. By means of it they profess to withstand hunger, thirst, sleep, and exhaustion. Analysis reveals only about 2 per cent. of theine, tea and coffee containing from $\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$ to 3 per cent., while there is also a small amount of volatile oil; but this does not account for all its virtues, and the explanation given is that it is used in the fresh state, and, like coca, loses its powers on drying. In Africa the seeds are only transported when carefully wrapped in leaves resembling lotus, and are frequently moistened. As imported into Europe they undoubtedly, like tea and coffee, possess a stimulant value, but beyond that their virtues are doubtful. In Africa they possess a reputation for purifying and clarifying muddy water, but it does not appear that they are superior to other mucilaginous seeds for this purpose. In certain forms of diarrhea they are useful, and may be taken, like tea, as a decoction. They have been recommended for dipsomania, but their utility in this respect is small. The rotten nuts and those which had become dry began to be exported in 1877 to Germany and France, for the purpose of mixing with chocolate; and in recent years various preparations—kola paste, chocolate, aerated water, &c.—have been introduced, the value of which is doubtful. Dilute alcohol extracts most colouring and extractive matter from the seeds, and this tincture or a decoction may be used for administering them; but the best and simplest way is to chew the seed by itself, or take the powder mixed with some sweetening material.