214 An ACCOUNT, &c. 



Of the Red Peruvian Bark. 



The red bark, when genuine, and given brifkly in pretty 

 large dofes, will, in particular cafes, occafion a degree of anxiety, 

 depreflion, giddinefs and faintnefs, that are alarming to the pa- 

 tient and his friends, and perhaps, if not timely attended to, 

 might be of ferious confequence. This only happens in cer- 

 tain conftitutions, and in weakly habits, or thofe rendered fo 

 by difeafe. 



This effect of the red bark, fo far as I know, has not been 

 taken notice of by any writer, and when it occurs in private 

 tice, is either not attended to, or imputed to fome other caufe. 

 The following extract of a letter from James Graham, Efq; 

 a worthy and refpectable gentleman of this iiland, places this 

 circumftance in a ftrong light. 



Mr Graham had been afflicted with a fever and ague for feve- 



ral months, and having confulted an eminent Phyfician here, had 



the red bark prefcribed him, which he was to take in dozes of 



thirty grains each. " On taking the fTrft," fays he,*' I inftantly 



perceived an unufual pungency on my tongue. After the fifth, 



I felt an anxiety about my bread with faintifhnefs ; and had 



hardly done fwallowing the fixth, when I was feized with 



giddinefs, an univerfal tremor, and a profufe cold fweat. A 



little wine, which was given me in this fituation, relieved me 



considerably. In about an hour, all the alarming fymptoms 



difappeared, but I remained weak and languid. From that day, 



however, the fever left me, and did not return till feveral months 



after, when it was brought on by a cold, and was removed by 



the bark adminiftered in the fame manner, and attended nearly 



by the fame fymptoms as before." 



IX. 



