162 CINCHONA BARKS. 



affected in the same way, recommended the bark. The medicine 

 was completely successful ; and to show her gratitude, the vice- 

 queen had large quantities brought down from the mountains for 

 distribution among persons affected with fever. It was from this 

 circumstance that the bark was at first known under the name of 

 the Countess's powder. By and by, the members of the college of 

 Jesuits having been charged with its distribution, it of course be- 

 came the Jesuits' bark or powder. Lastly, the Cardinal de Lugo 

 having brought it to Rome, the new medicine was known under tlie 

 name of the cardinal's powder. 



The cinchonas are met with principally in forests at a considerable 

 elevation above the level of the sea, in a temperate climate, and 

 growing in a stony soil. The proper period for gathering is known 

 by the circumstance of the inner surface of the bark, when detached 

 from a branch, acquiring in a few minutes a red, yellow, or orange 

 tint, according to the species. 



The trees are cut down one or two days before the process of 

 barking begins, by which the operation is rendered more easy, and 

 the cuticle is no longer liable to he rubbed off. The bark of the 

 trunk and branches is removed by means of a large knife, in strips, 

 or bands, which are kept as broad as possible. 'Ihe bark is placed 

 upon cloths and put to dry in the sun, each piece being kept isolated, 



in order to facilitate the drying, and especially to favor the yi//// 

 or rolling up ; when the bark is dried in a heap, and when the pieces 

 touch, it often acquires a most disagreeal)le odor in consequence of 

 incipient putrefaction, and the quilling does not take place.* The 

 bark, when thoroughly dry, is packet! in bullocks' hides and sent to 

 Europe. From my own observations, and those that have been 

 supplied me by M. Goulot, the different species of bark appear to be 

 distributed upon the mountains of New Granada in the following 

 order : 



Cmy bnrk.C. lancitolm 



White bnrk.C. ovalilolia 



Red liark.C. (lUlonpilolia 



Yellow bark, C. cordifolia 



Pelletier and Caventou discovered in the gray bark, 1st, cincho- 

 nme in combination with quinic acid ; 2d, a fatty substance ; 3d, red 

 and yellow coloring matters; 4th, tannin; 5lh, quinate of lime : Gth, 

 gum ; 7th, starch ; 8th, woody matter. In the yellow and rod bark 

 these learned chemists found the same principles, and, moreover, 

 quinate of quinine. 



Barks of the xcilloui and poplar. Decoctions of these barks are 

 often employed with success in the treatment of intermittent fever. 

 In searching after the active principle of these medicines, M. Uou.v 

 discovered the particular substance, salieine, in the bark of the wil- 

 low, (salix helix,) the medicinal effect of which is analogous with 

 tliat of the febrifuge principles of the true barks. M. Braconnot haa 



• Ruiz, Quinologia. 



