52 Observations on a new variety of Peruvian Bark, Sfc. 



Art. V. — Observations on a new variety of Peruvian Bark; with 

 some remarks on the alkaline bases Qiiinia and Cinchonia; by 

 George W. Carpenter, of Philadelphia. 



Peruvian bark is admitted to be one of the most valuable articles 

 . of the materia medica, and there is none in its catalogue, which em- 

 braces so great a number of species, and in which there is so great a 

 disparity in the medical qualities of each variety. Under these cir- 

 cumstances, it is peculiarly unfortunate, that the natural history and 

 classification of Cinchona should be so enveloped in ambiguity, the 

 nomenclature of the difTerent species so very defective, and the vari- 

 ous writers so discordant in their opinions, as to lead the student 

 through a protracted, and too often fruitless investigation. The at- 

 tention of our pharmacologists should be particularly directed to the ar- 

 ticle Cinchona, for the purpose of determining and agreeing upon a spe- 

 cific classification of those species which now occur in commerce, and 

 to establish a nomenclature for them, by which each species and variety 

 could be readily particularized, and at once understood by its name, 

 which is at present impossible. In a preceding volume of this jour- 

 nal, I called the attention of the faculty to this subject, and described 

 the several species of Peruvian bark, which then occurred in com- 

 merce, and made the description as accurately as possible from spe- 

 cimens before me. I then suggested as the most appropriate nomen- 

 clature, the names of the provinces of South America, from which 

 the different species were collected, as Calisaya, Loxa, he. — 

 appellations which have been so generally adopted, as to be the 

 most familiar in the language of commerce. The terms Calisaya, 

 Loxa and Carthagena, convey at once the idea of the particular kind 

 of bark, and are perfectly understood, while the terms Lancifolia and 

 Cordifolia, would involve an ambiguity as to what kind of bark 

 was intended, in as much as several varieties of different quali- 

 ties could come under the same term, and it would be impossible to 

 understand which was intended ; for example, the Calisaya and Car- 

 thagena, (the former the most superior, and the latter the most infe™ 

 rior species in commerce,) being both yellow bark, would come un- 

 der the denomination of cordifolia, hence, if cordifolia was order^ 

 ed, it would be difficult to determine whether the Carthagena or 

 Calisaya was intended, or some intermediate quality. 



