$16 APPENDIX. 
Angustura (cortex) Pharm. Edinb. | 
ANGUSTURA Bark is imported here in thin convex pieces, of 
about.an inch.and-an half-or less‘in breadth, and about six inches 
in Jength. It is not fibrous, but hard, compact, of a yellowish 
brown colour, and covered with a whitish uneven epidermis. 
Reduced to powder it has the yellow appearance of rhubarb. To 
the taste it manifests a bitterish and an aromatic quality, leaving 
a sensation of heat upon the tongue, which continues for some 
time. Its odour, when recent, is said to be ungrateful, but in its 
dried state this is not perceptible, An ounce of the bark affords, 
by means of alcohel, about two drams of a resinous bitter extract ; 
and nearly three drams and a half of a gummy extract may be 
obtained from the like quantity, by water. 
Some have-contended that this drug should be called Augustine, 
from St. Augustin in East Florida; but it seems more properly 
named Angustura, which is.a place in South America, whence it 
was brought by the Spaniards to the Island of Trinidad. 
From what tree it 1s obtained we find no certain account. It 
has been supposed to be the bark of the Magnolia glauca; but, 
with more probability, it has been since thought to be that of the 
Brucea antidysenterica; (see Bruce’s Travels, &¢. vol. 5. p. 69. 
and.J. F. Miller, tab. 25.):or Brucea ferruginea of L’Heritier and 
Aiton: (.Hort. Kew. iii. 397) ‘for the description of the bark of 
this tree, given by Mr. Bruce, agrees very well with the cortex 
angusture ; and as far as-can be judged by the ‘bark of a living 
_ plant of this species, new growing in the Royal Garden at Kew, 
this opinion is still further confirmed. 
During the ‘last five years, in which the Angustura bark has 
been known as a medicine in this country, it has been successfully 
used in the characters af a febrifuge, tonic, and astringent. In 
intermittents.it has been found equally effectual.as Peruvian bark, 
