- 10 - 
of P.olpr.d.n- is not easily settled. In his Llatori a Medica,, 
Cullen riientions it as a Mtter tonic and rexors to M'-arrai^' s 
Apparatus Medic ^iKiniUD for an- account of ■ the drug, ' . ■ 
All parte of che tree are intensely hitter because of 
the quassin present,' M though this plant does not afford the 
article now used, a. more fruitful soiorce having oeen discovered 
in the Jamaica tree, it is of great interest s,s having produced 
the originally introduced article. 
. (31) ' 
ON QUASSIA SXCELSA. Mer. Jour. Pharm. (n.s. 15) 21: 1-4. 1849. 
This plan.t has heen made the "basis of a new genus by 
Lindlcy and DcGandolle, The absence of generic chajracters 
which would r)lace it with Quassia are apparently due to 
abortion, and the author has preferred to retain the old 
nrjEo of S'.vartz, The synonomy is given thus: 
Quassia cxcclsa^ Picraona cxcclsa-Lindley, Picrania omnvo- 
Wright, Simaruba cxcelsa-DeCandolle, Quassia polygoma- Lindsay, 
The generic '^nd specific chai'acters are. briefly discussed. 
In Jamaica, where it is rbundaitt, the plant is called 
bitter ash and- bitterwood. The wood, is iiiiporteci in billets, 
covered with smooth, grayish, sometimes sil'/L.ry bpjrk. It 
is white, light and even in texture but drr::rns on exposure. 
It contains the bitter principle qur.ssfn as well as a trace 
of volatile oil, gummy extractive, pectin, woody fiber, and 
salts, 
Quassin was first isolated by Thomson of Glasgow, It 
occurs in small, white, prismatic crj'stals, fusible, odor- 
less, intensely bitter, readily soluble in alcohol, but 
only slightly so in water or ether. Its solubility in 
v/atcr is increased by several salts and vegetable principles. 
Its aqueous solution is precipitated white by tannin, not 
by iod-ine, chlorine, corrosive sublimate, salts of iron, 
acetate or diacetate of lead. It is a nevi.tral body, though 
soluble in sulphuric and nitric acids. Its composition is 
indicated by the formula C10H5O3, 
The medical effects are those of a pure, bitter, tonic 
and roborant, a,nd as such quassia wood is used in convalescence, 
dyspepsia, etc. The mode of exhibition is in cold infusion, 
made from the chips or raspings, in tincture or extract. In 
Prance it is a practice to have cups turned from the wood, and 
to allow water to stand in them until it becomes imbued with 
the active principle. 
