146 EXPLOITATION OF -PLANTS 
country, but did not get a trial in Europe until towards 
the end of the seventeenth century. At first, as so often 
happens, it was brought into disrepute by ignorant 
use. Helvetius, however, established its fame for the 
treatment of dysentery by employing it as a secret 
medicine, and ultimately secured the sole right of 
vending it. 
Its widespread use was followed by an astonishing 
drop in the death-rate from dysentery in India. The 
consequent high price made it desirable in the middle 
of the nineteenth century to attempt to cultivate it. 
This met-with poor success, until vegetative propagation 
from the rhizome and even from the petiole, was estab- 
lished in the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, and seeds 
obtained by suitable cross fertilisation. 
Of late years progress has been made in the manu- 
facture of suitable preparations of the most active 
principle emetin for injection, and quite recently the 
intensified study of dysentery necessitated by the war 
has resulted in the production of a non-emetic double 
salt which can be taken per os. 
Quinine, although indigenous to South America, like . 
ipecacuanha, is in marked contrast to it in that it is found 
on the west of the continent, is a denizen of mountainous, 
not swampy, regions, and seems to be quite unused by 
the natives. The travelling doctors, descended directly 
from those at the time of the Incas, never carry it in 
their wallets, and there is great dislike to its use apart 
from dyeing. Nevertheless, it was through an Indian 
cure by means of red bark that it was introduced into 
Europe by the Countess Cinchon, whose name was 
later given to the plant. 
