Cocaine, how was it invented?

[Mk22]

Who and why decided that instead of chewing the leaves, they should add an assortment of chemicals and process it into a white powder and take it up the nose?

[ummmm]

They use it medically as well.

[Alan360]

I think it all started in the 19th century when that chap invented Cola for medicinal purposes. Didn't it contain traces of Cocaine in the original recipe?

[ummmm]

Yes....

[Prudie]

For the same reason we pop an anadin rather than chewing willow bark. Progress.

[Mk22]

Thanks for the answers a quick google search says you are correct.
Maybe i need to clarify, when was the first documented time someone took cocaine up their nose?

[weecalf]

maye some one had a lot of it and ask what he should do with it and got the reply shove it up your ......nose

[ummmm]

It's used up the nose because it restricts the blood vessels during surgery. Do it was probably a medic that liked the buzz...

[Mk22]

You're probably right ummmm as i can easily imagine that's how it started.

[Prudie]

Don't forget tobacco as snuff was always taken up the nose. I haven't checked but wouldn't be surprised if that came first.

[heathfield]

Never mind that. I keep wondering how on earth bread was ever invented.

[Clanad]

It's probably redundant to state that cocaine is derived from the coca leaves used for centuries by natives of South America, especially those living in the high altitudes of the Andes as a help with the effects of altitude sickness. It's not much of a leap to understand that, just as with many other naturally derived health helps, the natives figured out how to increase its affects by "cooking it down".

One source says "...The alkaloid was first scientifically isolated from the coca plant by Albert Neiman in 1860, when it received its name of cocaine. Soon after it was used as an anesthetic, where it found its way into the hospitals and its use was fairly common by doctors everywhere during the following years..."