DR MACLAGAN ON THE BEBEERU TREE OF BRITISH GUIANA. 431 



improvements in the process ; for I have found, from subsequent trials, that a 

 considerable loss was sustained from portions of the alkalies remaining dissolved 

 in the mother liquor of precipitation. Further, it must be remembered that 

 sulphate of quinine in crystals contains 10 per cent, of water of crystallization, 

 whilst the bebeerine salts are anhydrous, or contain at most only a small per- 

 centage of hygroscopic moisture. 



It is impossible to arrive at any precise estimate as to how far, in point of 

 cheapness, this substance will realize the expectations of my Demerara corre- 

 spondents, until we know what price will be sought for the bark. I should esteem 

 one shilling a pound the most that it is likely to cost, considering the fact men- 

 tioned, on Mr RODIE'S authority, by Sir ANDREW HALLIDAY, that " at present the 

 tree is felled only for its timber, and thousands of tons of the bark are destroyed 

 annually." I have in my possession samples of the bark which were thrown out 

 as refuse from a' ship-building yard. At this price, then, which I look upon as 

 more than should be asked, and even with a productiveness of not greater than 

 one and a half per cent., I find that it may be prepared at a cost of 6s. an ounce ; 

 and, of course, it might be greatly cheaper, were the productiveness increased 

 only fractionally, or the price of the bark were lower. The above price would be 

 but little cheaper than the sulphate of quinine at its present cost, which I find to 

 be 7s. 6d. an ounce ; but not long ago, from an enactment of the governments of 

 South America regarding cinchona barks, the price was as high as 11s. and 12s. ; 

 and under these circumstances, bebeerine might prove a useful succedaneum. 



As to the comparative productiveness of the bark and seeds, I have no hesi- 

 tation in giving a decided preference to the former, both in point of amount and 

 purity of product. This arises from the difficulty of freeing the alkalies from the 

 red fatty matter by any process applicable to the purposes of the manufacturer. 



I shall not detain the Society with entering into details as to the evidence in 

 favour of the antiperiodic powers of bebeerine, but shall avail myself of some 

 other opportunity of submitting this to the attention of my professional brethren. 

 I may mention, however, that last autumn, I sent out a small quantity of the sul- 

 phate prepared for me by Mr BROWN, to my friend Dr WATT, and he has sent me 

 the details of several causes of intermittent fever, in which he used it with marked 

 success. I have likewise had an opportunity of trying it myself in three cases of 

 ague ; and, in all, the arrestment of the disease was rapid and complete. I haA r e 

 likewise made trial of it in periodic headache, and the effects were such as to 

 leave no doubt in my mind of its activity as an antiperiodic remedy. Both Dr 

 WATT and myself administered it in the doses in which sulphate of quinine would 

 have been employed. 



Some time ago a secret medicine, absurdly purporting to be a cure for all 

 fevers, made its appearance under the name of " Warburg's Vegetable Fever 

 Drops." This has been found to be possessed of antiperiodic virtues ; and I was 



VOL. XV. PART III. 6 A 



