IV. 



Uses of Wattle Bark (Acacia pycnantha) " by Dr. 8. J. 

 Magarey :— 



[abstract.] 

 The golden or broad-leaf ed wattle (Acacia pycnanlha) is found 

 in abundance in this colony, especially upon undulating hills, 

 thriving upon almost any soil, but preferentially on that of a 

 light sandy nature. It exudes an abundance of gum, and 

 affords what is now acknowledged to be " far and away the 

 most valuable tanning bark in the world." Its higher branches 

 and twigs yield some of the best bark. The sap is up during 

 September to December, and hence these are the best months 

 for collecting the bark, whether for economic or medicinal pur- 

 poses. It is acknowledged that the tanning properties improve 

 if the bark be kept for some little time. The wattle is at its 

 prime when it is from eight to ten years, and in the hands of 

 Mr. Bosisto it has yielded as much as 45 per cent, of tan 

 extractive. Its main use in medicine is as an astringent. It 

 corrugates the papillae of the tongue, and imparts a decidedly 

 astringent taste, it coagulates albuminous fluids, and causes 

 contraction of muscular fibre. Its primary effect when applied 

 to a mucous membrane is to diminish secretion ; and there is 

 no doubt that by diminishing the relaxation of the stomach and 

 intestines it promotes digestion. It ranks high amongst the 

 vegetable astringents, and the very finest qualities of Pegu 

 catechu hardly exceed that of our wattle. As an astringent it 

 has been exceedingly serviceable to me in my practice amongst 

 infants and children. A form of diarrhoea exceedingly common 

 amongst them, and very fatal, seems to be met more readily 

 with this remedy than with any with which I am acquainted. 

 It occurs most frequently during dentition during the summer 

 months, especially in infants brought up by hand, but also 

 under the most favourable circumstances as regards diet and 

 nursing. The stools are exceedingly frequent, watery, usually 

 green or almost colourless, not always accompanied by pain. 

 But if unchecked, the child passes from this condition with a 

 restless fretful disposition into that known as spurious hydro- 

 cephalus. I usually order an infusion, or prepare one at the 

 house, by putting a piece of bark weighing from half a drachm 

 to one drachm in a breakfast-cup two-thirds full of boiling 

 water, covering it and letting it stand for an hour or two. I 

 then direct a teaspoonful to be given every half -hour, or even 

 oftener. For adults the dose requires to be much larger. 

 Occasionally I have finely powdered the bark and triturated 

 with sugar of milk. I think the infusion will at all times give 

 more satisfaction than the tincture. There is a mistaken 

 notion that it is unwise to check diarrhoea in infants, but I am 

 inclined to think that the daneier lies in failing to check it, 



