316 Dr. Hancock on Quinine. 



Dr. A. T. Thomson, in the % London Dispensatory," 

 p. 246, takes occasion to notice the efficacy of the bark in low 

 typhoid continued fevers, in various malignant and putrid 

 disorders, and in pure typhus ; but he conceives — " that the 

 best effects will be produced by the bark, when its use, in pure 

 typhus, is delayed till the skin becomes moist, the tongue in 

 part cleaned, and the urine deposits a critical sediment. The 

 best adjuncts in these cases are the diluted sulphuric, or the 

 muriatic acids, and aromatics, particularly the tincture of 

 capsicum." 



At page 737 of the same work, it is remarked of the infusion 

 of the bark, that " the sulphuric acid destroys the bitterness of 

 the infusion, but not its astringency ; and adds considerably to 

 its efficacy." Possibly it may destroy the bitterness of the 

 infusion by being added at the end of the process, or it may 

 only cover the taste and render it less perceptible ; but when 

 digested on the bark with hot water, if the acid be not in 

 excess, or be added in sufficient quantity only to neutralize the 

 alkaloid principle, it seems to me rather to augment than to 

 diminish its bitterness. 



It would even appear that a vague idea has long since been 

 entertained regarding the utility of sulphuric acid as an adjunct 

 to the preparations of bark. — i( It (the bark) is used for 

 obviating the dispositions to nervous and convulsive diseases ; 

 and some have great confidence in it, joined with the acid of 

 vitriol, and notwithstanding the latter, a milk diet, — in cases 

 of phthisis, scrophula, ill-conditioned ulcers, rickets, scurvy, 

 and in states of convalescence." — Lewis's Disp. 



" II n'est pas rare que les fievres intermittentes bilieuses du 

 printemps et de 1'ete" deviennent putrides ; les malades tom- 

 bent dans un grand afFaissment, et sont couches comme des 

 automates ; le pouls est a, pein sensible ; le sang tombe en dis- 

 solution : — sans le quinquina dans ces circonstance, la plupart 

 mourroient. On le donne alors en decoction, plutot qu'en 

 poudre, uni avec les purgatifs, et encore mieux avec l'acid 

 vitriolique. " — Cours EUmentaire de Matiere Medicate de M. 

 Rochfort, Paris, 1789. 



With a view to the investigation of this important subject, I 

 instituted some experiments in September, 1827. On the 7th, 



