(f 1627) 
ANGUSTURA (cortex) Pharm. Edinb. 
ANGUSTURA Bark is imported here in thin convex pieces, of 
about an inch and an half or lefs in breadth, and about fix inches in 
length. It is not fibrous, but hard, compact, of a yellowith brown 
colour, and covered with a whitifh uneven epidermis. Reduced to 
powder it has the yellow appearance of rhubarb. To the tafte it 
manifefts a bitterifh and an aromatic quality, leaving a fenfation of 
heat upon the tongue, which continues for fome time. Its odour, 
when recent, is faid to be ungrateful, but in its dried ftate this is not 
perceptible. An ounce of this bark affords, by means of alcohol, 
about two drams of a refinous bitter extract ; and nearly three drams 
and an half of a gummy extract may be obtained from the like 
quantity, by water. 
Some have contended that this drug fhould be called Auguftine, 
_ from St. Auguftin in Eaft Florida; but it feems more properly named 
Anguftura, which is a place in South America, whence it was 
brought by the Spaniards to the Ifland of Trinidad. 
From what tree it is obtained we find no certain account. It has 
been fuppofed to be the bark of the Magnolia glauca; but, with more 
probability, it has been fince thought to be that of the Brucea antidy- 
fenterica; (fee Bruce’s Travels, Fc. vol. 5. p. 69. and F. F. Miller, 
tab, 25.) or Brucea ferruginea of L’ Heritier and Aiton: (Hort. Kew. iii. 
397) for the defcription of the bark of this tree, given by Mr. Bruce, 
agrees very well with the cortex angufture ; and as far as can be 
judged by the bark of a living plant of this fpecies, now growing in 
the Royal Garden at Kew, this opinion is ftill further confirmed. 
During the laft five years, in which the Anguftura bark has been 
known as a medicine in this country, it has been fuccefsfully ufed in 
the characters of a febrifuge, tonic, and aftringent. In intermittents 
it has been found equally effe€tual as Peruvian bark, and generally 
more acceptable to the ftomach ; and in cafes of diarrhza, dy{pepfia, - 
_ {crophula, and great debility, it has been found to be an ufeful remedy. 
(See Brande, in Landon Med. Journal for 1790.) see 
 BALSAMUM 
