As for the tower which stands at one side of the edifice, that was
built by Marie de Medici for the astrologer whom she brought with her
to Paris from Florence. On account of its historic interest, this
structure will be preserved. On either side of this tower, overlooking
the roofs of the neighboring dwellings, are perceived the summit of a
tower of St. Eustache church and a campanile of a pavilion of the
markets.--_L'Illustration._
* * * * *
THE MANUFACTURE OF COCAINE.
Cocaine is manufactured from the dry leaves of the _Erythroxylon
coca_, which grows in the valleys of the East Cordilleras of South
America--i.e., in the interior of Peru and Bolivia. The fresh leaves
contain 0.003 to 0.006 per cent of cocaine, which percentage decreases
considerably if the leaves are stored any length of time before being
worked up. On the other hand, the alkaloid can be transported and kept
without decomposition. This circumstance caused the author to devise a
simple process for the manufacture of crude cocaine on the spot,
neither Peru nor Bolivia being suitable countries for complicated
chemical operations. After many experiments, he hit upon the following
plan: The disintegrated coca leaves are digested at 70 deg.
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