109 
which are wet, and of transporting them by sea and land with- 
out any other protection. Another cause of destruction of the 
Calagualas is, that the carriers of Peru, though it may rain 
on their journeys, do not protect the packages of roots from 
showers: consequently the leather coverings get wet, and the 
roots, by absorbing the moisture, become more or less injured. 
These men, ignorant in such matters, deliver the packages 
to the dealers without mentioning the accidents on the road ; 
and the latter confidently store thenf in rooms having little or 
no ventilation, or in damp cellars, until they have an opporta- 
nity of shipping them; in which case they only receive a change 
of place, as the paemetaecs of the vessels stow them in the 
hold; or in confined or « places, airport seaiieatebpmaitity 
and heat increase the descraction of the roots. : 
Finally, on reaching Cadiz or any other port, these feedlace 
are stored in close cellars or warehouses fre y damp, where 
they are totally destroyed, so that the Calagualas now become 
a noxious drug instead of a beneficial medicine. 
‘What I have here stated is an absolute fact, which may be 
ascertained by any one in Cadiz ; for; on opening a package of 
la, a feetid and corrupt odour will exhale, some of the 
roots will Be found mouldy, and others soft and flexible, when 
they onght to be hard and brittle as a dry stick and free from 
offensive smell. bey” 
The degree of care used in collecting, drying, packing 
exporting foots, barks, fruits, and other vegetable subs 
seems almost uniform in. all countries, as experience has shown 
that hedeigy: which we receive from all parts of the world, are 
jured. The Government ought to take cognizance 
of these’ atiars ie not suffer medicinal articles to be shipped 
moles i in good condition and well packed, nor admit them unless 
ie 2 
