NOTES ON THE ECONOMIC APPLICATION OF BARKS. 439 



Antirrhcea verticillata, D. C. — A tree attaining a height of about 20 

 feet, native of Bourbon and Mauritius, where it is known as " Bois de 

 Losteau." The bark of the root is reputed to be a powerful astringent, 

 and is used in Bourbon as a styptic. 



Exostemma caribceum, Rom. — A shrub, about 10 feet high, growing 

 in Mexico, San Domingo, and most of the West Indian Islands. The 

 bark is reputed to be a good febrifuge, and also to be employed as an 

 emetic. It has a very bitter taste and disagreeable smell. It would 

 seem, according to Guibourt to contain some peculiar principle, as the 

 fracture displays an abundance of small crystals. The barks of several 

 other species of this genus have more or less febrifugal properties, 

 amongst them may be mentioned E. jloribundum, R. et S., a native 

 also of the West Indian Islands., E. Peruvianum, II. et B. and E. 

 Souzanum, Mart., both natives of South America. 



Remija ferruginea, D. C. — A small shrub, growing only about 5 or 6 

 feet high, native of Brazil, where the bark is used as a substitute for 

 cinchona, under the names of Quina de Remijo, or Quina de Serra. 



Manettiacordifollu, Mart. — A twining plant, growing in hedges in 

 the province of Minas Geraes, Brazil. The bark of the root is consi- 

 dered as an emetic, and is very efficacious in the cure of dropsy and 

 dysentery, being applied in the form of a powder. 



Alyxia steuata, R. et S. — A shrub, native of the Society and Friendly 

 Islands. The bark is stimulant and tonic, and has been employed in 

 Germany in nervous complaints and chronic diarrhoea. It is of a 

 whitish colour, with a short brittle fracture, a very pleasant odour, and 

 a sharp aromatic taste. 



Nerium otioratum, Lam. — A shrub, 6 or 8 feet high ; native of India, 

 China, and Japan. The native practitioners of India use the bark of 

 the root, beaten into paste, for external application in ringworm. It is 

 said that the root itself, taken inwardly, acts as a powerful poison. A 

 decoction of the bark of N. Oleander, L., is much used by the poorer 

 classes in the South of France, as a remedy in itch and many cutaneous 

 diseases. The powdered bark and wood is employed as a poison for rats. 

 The foregoing list of barks having real or reputed medicinal pro- 

 perties is as perfect as I have been able to make it. As will be clearly 

 seen, it applies only to those whose scientific names are known ; some 

 few of these, indeed, have been omitted as unimportant, or on account 

 of the fact of their reputed properties being very doubtful. But it will 

 be as well to give the latter a passing mention before closing this 

 section of my paper. 



The bark of Miclielia champaca, L., an Indian plant, is considered 

 febrifugal in its native country. Isertia coccinea, Vahl., a native 

 of Guiana, has also similar properties. Mikania opifera, Mart., a 

 Brazilian plant, is said to be a powerful diuretic, and is used for poul- 

 tices in venomous snake-bites. The bark and young shoots of Canthium 

 parviflorum, Lam., a native of the East Indies, are considered efficacious 

 in dysentery. The root bark of Triosetum perfoliatum, L., a native of 



