380 CEDRON OF THE MAGDALENA. 
tried in England with Cedron. He writes in reply (Nov. 2, 1850): 
—' Iam not acquainted with any observations made in England, 
or even in Europe, respecting the Simaba Cedron. The little which I 
know about it I will relate to you, and you can make what use you 
please of my statement. 
“The specimens of the seeds and fruit which I possess were brought 
a few months ago from Panama, by a gentleman (not a medical man). 
They were given to him by W. Barrington, Esq., an English surgeon 
at Panama. The statement accompanying them was to the effect 
that the seeds were much used, and with great confidence by the native 
doctors of the Panama country, both locally and internally, as the 
grand antidote against snake-poison. 
“ To the taste these seeds are intensely bitter, and doubtless, like the 
bitter barks and woods of other Simarubaceous plants (e. gr., Quassia 
and Simaruba), they possess the properties of bitter tonics, and might 
be useful in dyspepsia, and, perhaps, even ague. Notwithstanding the 
faith of the Panama doctors, I am afraid there is not a shadow of hope 
that these seeds will prove an antidote against snake-poison: all the 
reputed antidotes to snake-poisons having hitherto proved unworthy 
of trust when used under the eye of competent observers.” 
Experiments will probably tend to confirm the soundness of the 
above observations of Dr. Pereira, and tend to show that the French 
doctors, as well as those of Panama, have taken an exaggerated view of 
the merits of the Cedron. As an intensely bitter principle, it will pror 
bably rauk with its near botanical allies, Quassia and Simaruba, and is 
worthy of a figure and description in a journal, one of the objects of 
which is to make known useful and little-known vegetable products. 
M. Planchon has the merit of giving a name and botanical station 
to this plant. In his excellent * Revue de la famille des Simaroubées, 
published in the fifth volume of the * London Journal of Botany, 
p. 566, he has first described this plant, from Mr. Purdie's specimens 
in my herbarium. He does not seem to have been aware of the exist- 
 enee of the fruit in the Museum of the Royal Gardens. This we are 
= . able to subjoin to our figure, and at first sight it is very unlike that d 
. any other species in appearance and in size (so far as can be judged 
. from the only fruits of a Sala figured or described, —that of Simaba 
/— Guianensis, Aubl., Guian. vol. i. p. 153, and Kunth, Nov. Gen. Am- 
vol. vi. p. 514), “ Carpella 4-5.” Here the carpel, or drupe, is as- 
large as a swan’s egg, and solitary, but evidently so by the abortion — 
