238 CROTON ELUTERIA 



quill to that of the little finger. The external suberous coat is 

 easily separated from the inner coats, and is more or less covered 

 with a silvery-white minute lichen ( Verrucaria albissima, Ach.), 

 the perithecium of which is seen in the form of black 

 specks. The colour of the suberous coat when not coated with 

 lichens is dull brown, which is also the colour of the bark gene- 

 rally. The bark is moderately hard, has a compact texture, and 

 breaks readily with a short resinous fracture. The taste is warm 

 and nauseously bitter, and its odour agreeable and aromatic, more 

 especially when burned : hence by this character cascarilla is 

 readily distinguished from other barks. 



The principal constituents of cascarilla bark are a volatile oil, 

 resin, and a bitter crystalline principle, first isolated by Duval, 

 and named by him Gascarillin. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Cascarilla bark is aromatic, 

 bitter, and tonic. Formerly it was much used, especially in 

 Germany, as a substitute for cinchona; but although it is very 

 far inferior to this bark as a tonic and febrifuge, it is a useful 

 tonic in convalescence after fevers. In this country it is princi- 

 pally employed in atonic dyspepsia, in chronic bronchial affections 

 to check excessive secretion of mucus, and in chronic diarrhoea 

 and dysentery. The agreeable musky odour which it produces 

 when burned also renders it a useful ingredient in fumigating 

 pastilles, for which purpose it is frequently used. For the 

 same reason it is sometimes mixed in small quantities with 

 tobacco, in order to render it more agreeable for smoking. It 

 is said, when thus used, to cause giddiness and intoxication, but 

 this is scarcely probable. 



Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii, part 1, p. 412 ; Pharmacographia, p. 506 ; 

 U. S. Disp., by W. and B., p. 234 ; Journ. de Pharm., 3rd ser. 

 viii, 96. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE. 



Drawn from specimens collected in Providence Island, Bahamas, by Dr. 

 W. F. Daniell in 1858 (Brit. Museum). 1. Small branch, with leaves and 

 several racemes of fruit and flowers. 2. Male flower. 3. The same in vertical 

 section. 4. Female flower. 5. Vertical section of the same. 6 and 7. Fruit 

 8. Transverse section of the same. 9 and 10. Seed, inner surface. 11. Scale 

 from leaf. (25, 7, 8, and 10 enlarged. 11 greatly magnified.) 



