CINCHONA 77 



soon be of another mind; for the Peruvian Bark is all 

 the Specific we have." 



The formula of the ague remedy used by Sydenham 

 in the epidemic of 1681, is as follows: "Take of the 

 Jesuits' Powder one Ounce, of the Conserve of Red 

 Roses, two Ounces, mingle them." 



Space forbids his voluminous comments on ague and 

 its treatment, but the following extract giving his 

 views regarding purging and bleeding in fevers, and 

 summing up, without personalities, the prejudice 

 against cinchona, will not be out of place: 



"Therefore, whilst I considered how ineffectual this 

 method was (the accepted course of treatment L.) 

 and also other evacuation, that is Bleeding and Purg- 

 ing, both whereof by relaxing the Tone of the Blood 

 protract the Disease, the Peruvian Bark gave me the 

 most certain hope; concerning which I can safely say, 

 notwithstanding the prejudice of the common people, 

 and of some of the Learned, I never saw, nor could so 

 much as suspect any mischief would happen the Sick 

 by the use of it. I should not doubt to give it the first 

 place, among all the Medicines that are yet known." 



In explanation of the prejudice against cinchona 

 Sydenham says: "But the said Bark has got an ill 

 Name, I suppose for these reasons, chiefly; First, be- 

 cause all the dreadful Symptoms that attend an Ague, 

 when it has tormented an Man a long time are imputed 

 to the Bark, when he scarce has used it once." 



Sydenham makes the following historical contri- 

 bution as regards the introduction of cinchona into 

 England (p. 224): 



"The Peruvian Bark which is commonly called the 

 Jesuits' Powder, about twenty-five years ago, if I 



