did george washington invent cocaine?

Although the stimulant and hunger-suppressant properties of coca had been known for many centuries, the isolation of the cocaine alkaloid was not achieved until 1855. Many scientists had attempted to isolate cocaine, but none had been successful for two reasons: the knowledge of chemistry required was insufficient at the time, worsened because coca does not grow in Europe and ruins easily during travel.

The cocaine alkaloid was first isolated by the German chemist Friedrich Gaedcke in 1855. Gaedcke named the alkaloid “erythroxyline,” and published a description in the journal Archives de Pharmacie.

In 1856, Friedrich Wöhler asked Dr. Carl Scherzer, a scientist aboard the Novara (an Austrian frigate sent by Emperor Franz Joseph to circle the globe), to bring him a large amount of coca leaves from South America. In 1859, the ship finished its travels and Wöhler received a trunk full of coca. Wöhler passed on the leaves to Albert Niemann, a Ph.D. student at the University of Göttingen in Germany, who then developed an improved purification process.

Niemann described every step he took to isolate cocaine in his dissertation titled Über eine neue organische Base in den Cocablättern (On a New Organic Base in the Coca Leaves), which was published in 1860—it earned him his Ph. D. and is now in the British Library. He wrote of the alkaloid's “colourless transparent prisms” and said that, “Its solutions have an alkaline reaction, a bitter taste, promote the flow of saliva and leave a peculiar numbness, followed by a sense of cold when applied to the tongue.” Niemann named the alkaloid “Cocain”—as with other alkaloids its name carried the “-in” ending (derived from the Latin suffix -ina).

Cocaine Invented

Coca leaves have been used

by South American Indians for more than 3,000 years.

The use of coca leaves was associated historically

with the religious ceremonies of the Incas

and reserved specifically for nobility.

Today, the leaves are chewed regularly in Peru and Bolivia

for their therapeutic value.

Cocaine was first extracted from coca leaves around 1860

and used as an anesthetic

that proved to be a boon for ophthalmology.

In addition to anesthetizing the eye and preventing muscle reflex,

cocaine constricts the arterioles

which, in turn, reduces the amount of bleeding

in an otherwise blood-rich area.

Cocaine also widens the air sacs in the lungs,

constricts the capillaries in the nasal passages,

and makes breathing significantly easier.

During the 19th century,

cocaine was promoted as a remedy

for such respiratory ailments as asthma,

whooping cough, and tuberculosis.

Additionally, it was publicized, most notably by Sigmund Freud,

as an aphrodisiac

and an antidote for morphine addiction and alcoholism.

By 1890, cocaine had become the primary ingredient

in many elixirs and other "restoratives"

that claimed to provide relief from depression

and a multitude of ailments.

It was an ingredient in cigars, cigarettes, chewing gum,

and several "tonics," most notably Coca-Cola

(today's Coca-Cola does not contain cocaine).

Cocaine use during the 19th century, however, was far from benign.

In 1891, for example,

200 cases of death from cocaine intoxication

were reported.

According to one estimate,

the U.S. population in 1906 -

numbering only half of today's population -

consumed as much cocaine as did the U.S. population in 1976.

http://www.ussc.gov/crack/CHAP2.HTM

Cocaine was first synthesized in 1855....way after George Washington.

nope it was discovered by brasilians long before europeans were around. the current processing technique was developed by a german in the 1850s. the next 50 yrs were cocaine medicinal frenzy -- the victorians loved their cocaine more than most people realize. then the new century saw people realizing this stuff wasn't that good for you.

the government crack is a decrease priced *** variety of cocaine and cocaine is derived from the leaves of the coca plant.i could wager some scientists from what i examine..... **In its advent technique, with the aid of hazards of making use of ether to offer organic freebase cocaine, cocaine manufacturers began to bypass over the step of removing the freebase cocaine precipitate from the ammonia mixture. usually, filtration procedures are additionally handed over. the top effect of this technique is that the decrease, as nicely to the ammonium salt (NH4Cl), keeps to be in the freebase cocaine after the combination is evaporated. The “rock” it is subsequently shaped additionally encompasses a small quantity of water. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is likewise favored in preparing the freebase, for whilst usually "cooked" the ratio is 50/50 to 40/60% cocaine/bicarbonate. This acts as a filler which extends the popular profitability of illicit sales. Crack cocaine could be reprocessed in small parts with water (clientele consult from the consequent product as "cookback"). This eliminates the residual bicarbonate, and any adulterants or cuts that have been used in the previous coping with of the cocaine and leaves a rather organic, anhydrous cocaine base. whilst the rock is heated, this water boils, making a crackling sound (for this reason the onomatopoeic “crack”). Baking soda is now maximum in many circumstances used as a base extremely than ammonia for motives of decreased stench and toxicity; despite the fact that, any susceptible base could be used to make crack cocaine. sturdy bases, such as sodium hydroxide, tend to hydrolyze many of the cocaine into non-psychoactive ecgonine.

No, cocaine comes from a cocoa plant, a tree. Humans cannot invent trees. I give the credit to God.

No, George Washington owned slaves, grew hemp, and used at least 5 stills to turn his yearly corn harvest into approx. 1200 gals.

of whiskey for many years but he was dead before cocaine was first extracted.

http://www.cocaineabuse.net/cocaine_crack.html

http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0812715.html

no cocaine came from the cocoa plant in brazil but he probably introduced it to the united states...no telling what the hell these politicians are capable of

No AL GORE DID.