3^7 



^ ^ 



firft noticed as a vermifuge by Mr. Peter Duguld/ Since that time 

 feveral accounts of its anthelmintic virtues have been given in the 

 Medical Commentaries by different authors : but Dr. Wright, who 

 refided a long time at Jamaica, has communicated the fulleft infor- 

 madon concerning this tree, both in refped: to its medical and bo- 



tanical characters. Linnasus enumerates only one fpecies of this 



^i*^ 



jrenus, which is called after Geoffroy, viz. G. fpinofa ; and, in con 

 tradillindion to this, Dr. Wright, on difcovering that the plant here 

 figured belonged to the fame family, and was deilitute of fpines, 

 very properly gave it the trivial name of inermis^ and it has fmce 

 been recognized and confirmed in this name upon the authorities of 

 Swartz and Alton, though, it is not yet admitted into any of the edi- 

 tions of the Syftema Vegetabilium of Linnaeus. This fpecies was 

 firft introduced into this country by Meffrs. Kennedy and Lee, 

 who cultivated it at Hammerfmith about the year 1778. Accord 



to Dr. Wright, the bark of this tree is powerfully medicinal, and its 

 anthelmintic effeds have been eflabliflied at Jamaica by long expe- 

 rience. 

 It may be given in different forms, as in decodion, fyrup, powder, 



and extrad ; and the manner of preparing and exhibiting thefe arc 



thus ftated by Dr. Wright : 



" The decodion. Take frefh-dried or well-preferved cabbage- 

 bark, one ounce. Boil it in a quart of water, over a flov/ fire, till 

 the water is of an amber colour, or rather of deep coloured Madeira 

 wine ; drain it off, fweeten it with fugar, and let it be ufed imme- 

 diately, as it does not keep many' days. . ' 



C( 



Syrup of Cabbage-bark. To any quantity of the above d 



tion add a double portion of fugar, and make a fyrup. This will 

 retain its virtues for years. ^ 



" The extrad of cabbage-bark is m,ade by evaporating the ftrong 

 decodion in halneo maiia to the proper confiftence ; it mull be con- 

 tinually ftirred,as otherwife the refinous part rifes to the top, and on 

 this probably its efficacy depends. 



Thi 



thinks that the inhabitants of J 

 Jweet vUi 



potatoes, &c." and confiders it particularly fortunate, that the ifland fupplies them with 

 this bark, which « appears to be the moff powerful vermifuge vet known, ^^^ '^ "'^- 

 qucntly brings away as many worms bv ftool ' ' ''" ' ''"' " ^""^ ^""''' ''^'^ 



^'J'^'^^'tiom Phyfical and Lluraru vol ii, p. 



fill a large hat." See EJJays and 



IS'o. 23 



4I 



Tl 



