(Transcrif)ii()n ttj, continued^ 



and is l\)und in the volume oi "Science Papers, D. Hanbury'\ 

 published since his death. 



What I heUe\ed to be stem and root ot the same plant, Hanbury 

 sccni.s to regard as being I'roni different plants, the one a spur- 

 ious drug, the olhei the true one. 



My own experience and his paper ha\e served to keep mc in a 

 certain track since IS70, and 1 have only used what 1 considered to 

 be ilie true root as described b> Pomel, "Hisior> of Drugs", reject- 

 ing what I considered as the woody stems. Prior to 1868 when I 

 used the wood\ stems, and did not know the part since used, a set 

 ol \er\ teeble preparations resulted oi which I never knew any- 

 thing good oi bad. But since that lime, when onh the pari which I 

 perhaps mistakenh considered to be the lool,- but which is with- 

 out mucli doubt the substance described b\ the oldcv writers,- the 

 fluid extract made from this, has been used to a very considerable 

 extent. b\ man\ picttv close observers of therapeutic effects, with 

 prellv definite good results, so that the drug after having declined 

 in reputation and in usage for manv years, has now for the past 

 two or three vears been again growing into favor especially in the 

 treatment of that very troublesome class of cases which unless well 

 managed degenerate into incurable chronic inflammation ol the 

 bladder. 



As it now is growing in favor, the importers of drugs are on the 

 alert for the profits, and according!) two months ago a shipment 

 oi' "Parcira lirava ":\ppcdvcd in this market direct from Para, the 

 market being prev iously supplied bv a rather curious mixture, in 

 large quantitv, not in the cliaracteristic baskets,— but simply in 

 bagging. On seeing this new lot from Para it was so different from 

 anything I had ever seen before that I expressed doubts as to its 

 being the proper substance. As the importers had full confidence 

 in their drug, and in the correspondent who sent it, and yet had 

 some respect for mv judgement, and the effect it might have on 

 their market for their shipment, they wrote out to Para in regard 

 to it, and have just received a ver} formidable looking certificate 

 verified by consular certificate,— as to the character of tlie impor- 

 tation. At my request they have given me a cop\ of the material 

 parts of this certificate, and this I enclose here within. The samples 

 of this substance are marked No. I and the piece tied with green 

 ribbon is one of three official pieces to which the certificate (over- 

 leaf) now applies, and which accompanied the certificate. The 

 other pieces marked No. 1 are from the large shipment. The yel- 

 low color and bitter taste of this substance seems to be due to 

 berberina. The taste is quite different from that of the specimens 

 which I have supposed to be the true Parcira Brava. Is this Cis- 

 sampelos as stated, and the other Chondodendron of Hanbury? 



Specimen parcel No. 2 is from another recent importation, large 

 quantities of w hich are now in the market. On looking at this in a 

 large open bale a more heterogeneous pile of sticks can hardly be 



40 



