200 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1777. 



parishes of St. James and Hanover, on the north side of Jamaica. The tree is 

 called tiie sea-side beech, and rises only to 20 feet. The trunk is not thick in 

 proportion, but hard, tough, andof a yellowish- white colour in the inside. The 

 branches and leaves are opposite; the leaves are of a rusty green, and the young 

 buds of a blneish green hue. It blossoms in November, and continues in flower 

 till February, having on the same tree or sprig, flowers and ripe pods. Tlie 

 flowers are of a duskish yellow colour, and the pods black : when ripe they split 

 in two, and are, with their flat brown seeds, in every respect similar to those of 

 the Cinchona officinalis as depicted in a plate sent out by Mr. Banks. 



The bark of this tree in general is smooth and grey on the outside, though 

 in some rough and scabrous. When well dried, the inside is of a dark brown 

 colour. Its flavour at first is sweet, with a mixture of the taste of horse-radish 

 and of aromatics of the east ; but, when swallowed, of that very bitterness and 

 astringency which characterizes the Peruvian bark. It yields these qualities 

 strongly to water both when cold and in decoction. Half an ounce, boiled from 

 2 lb. to I lb. of water, made as strong a decoction as 3 times its weight of the 

 cinchona vera. The colour was brown, but not turbid. 



I have had many opportunities (says Dr. W.) of trying its effects, especially in re- 

 mittents, which are the most common and fatal fevers in these climes. A vomit or 

 gentle purge, if necessary, was first given ; and then immediately this bark as soon 

 as they operated. It strengthened the stomach, checked retching and vomiting, 

 corrected morbid humours in prirnae vise, and conquered speedily the disease. 

 My success in such a dangerous malady leaves not a doubt but that it will prove 

 equally eflicacious in every other case where a tonic and antiseptic medicine is 

 indicated. 



Leaves ovate, perfectly entire, nerveless, opposite. 



Flowers single, axillary. 



Calyx. Perianth one-leaved, superior, live-cleft, very small, permanent, bell-shaped, very 

 obscurely iive-toothed. 



CoROL. one-petalled, fbnnel-form : Tube cylindric, very long : iJwrrfc/- five-parted, equal to the 

 tube : Divisiuns ovate, oblong, reflex, sometimes pendulous. 



St AM. Filametiti five, filiform, erect from the middle of tlie tube, of the length of the corol. 

 Anthers very long, obtuse, erect above tlie exterior base, atfixed in the mouth of the corol 



Capsule. Bipartite, witli a parallel dissepiment, gaping on the under side. 



Seeds. Very many, compressed, margined, oblong. . ^ - . 



XXVIII. Description and Use of the Cabba^e-harh Tree of Jamaica. By 

 , . IVm. Wright, M.D. p. 307- 



The cabbage-bark tree, or worm-bark tree, grows in most parts of Jamaica, 

 and particularly abounds in the low Savannahs of St. Mary and St. George. It 

 rises to a considerable height, but no great thickness, sending off" branches near 

 the top of a straight, smooth trunk. The leaves are, when young, of a light 



