QUASSIA AMARA.— B ITT E R QUASSIA. 
Class X. DECANDRIA.— Order V. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order, SIMARUBACEvE. — THE QUASSIA TRIBE. 
This beautiful shrub is a native of Surinam, and was introduced in 1790, by Mr. Alexander Anderson, to 
the royal garden at Kew, where it blossoms pretty freely, and continues flowering great part of the summer. 
It is the true officinal Quassia, but being very rare, and of small bulk, its place is usually supplied by the 
Quassia excelsa, which is imported in considerable quantities, not only for medical purposes, but as a sub- 
stitute for hops. Willdenow, speaking of this plant, says, “ Quassia amara est planta rarissima ; lignum 
amaritie reliquis palmam prseripit. Lignum quassise venale non ex hoc frutice venit ; colligitur a quassia 
excelsa, quae minus amara.” 
The Bitter Quassia is a shrub rather than a tree, is branched, and covered with an ash-coloured bark. 
The leaves are alternate, consisting of two pairs of leaflets, with a terminal one ; they are elliptic-lanceolate, 
entire, veiny, very smooth, sessile, two or three inches in length, and of a deep green colour ; the common 
footstalk is linear, articulated at the insertion of each pair of leaflets, and winged, or edged, on each side, 
with a leafy membrane, which gradually expands towards the base of each pair. The flowers are all herma- 
phrodite, of a bright scarlet colour, and terminate the branches in long spikes, drooping one way ; the 
bracteas, or floral leaves, are lanceolate, reflexed, coloured, and placed alternately upon the common peduncle. 
The calyx is small, persistent, and five-toothed. The corolla consists of five lanceolate, equal petals, and 
is never fully expanded; but the petals, as Mr. Curtis remarks, being twisted spirally, curl round one another, 
and open in an irregular manner. At the base of the corolla is placed the nectary, which consists of five 
roundish, coloured scales ; the filaments are ten, slender, somewhat longer than the corolla, and crowned 
with simple anthers, placed transversely ; the receptacle is fleshy, and orbicular ; the germen is ovate, five- 
parted, supporting a slender style, longer than the stamens, and terminated by an awl shaped stigma. 
The generic name of Quassia, was originally given by Linnaeus to this species, in honour of Quassi, a 
negro at Surinam, who discovered the virtues of the wood, in curing the malignant fevers of that country. 
In consequence of a valuable consideration, this secret was disclosed to his patron. Governor Dalbergh, who 
sent specimens of the wood to Stockholm, in the year 1756; and since that time it became known in 
Europe, particularly by means of a Dissertation, printed in the Amoenitates Academic®, first published in 
1763 . 
Qualities. — The roots, bark, and wood of this tree, as its trivial name implies, are all intensely bitter; 
and it is observed, that the leaves, flowers, and other parts of the plant, possess similar qualities. 
The medicinal virtues ascribed to Quassia are those of a tonic, stomachic, antiseptic, and febrifuge; it 
has been found very effectual in restoring the tone of the stomach, producing appetite for food, assisting 
digestion, andremoving the inconveniences common to a sedentary life. Dr. Lettsom observes, that in hysterical 
atony, the Quassia affords more vigour and relief to the system than the Peruvian bark, especially when united 
with the vitriolum album, and still more with the aid of some absorbent. In dyspepsia, arising from hard drink- 
ing, and also in diarrhoeas, he exhibited the Quassia with great success. Although he does not concur in opinion 
with Linnaeus, who says, “me quidem judice chinchinam longe superat,” yet he has met with several instances 
of low remittent and nervous fevers, the symptoms of which the bark uniformly aggravated, though adminis- 
tered in intermissions the most favourable to its success, in which Quassia or Snake-root was successfully sub- 
stituted. Dr. Cullen says, (Mat. med. vol. 2.p. 174.) “I believe Quassia to be an excellent bitter, and that it 
will do all that any pure and simple bitter can do ; but our experience of it in this country does not lead us to 
think that it will do more ; and the extraordinary commendations given, are to be ascribed to the partiality 
so often shewn to new medicines.” It is said to have been given, combined with nitric acid, with evident 
benefit in typhus. It may be given in infusion or decoction, which is the best form of administering it ; or 
in pills, made from the watery extract. The infusion is prepared by macerating for two hours, in a lightly 
covered vessel, a scruple of quassia-wood, chipped, in half a pint of boiling water, and straining it. In 
hysteria this may be combined with purgatives and tincture of valerian ; in atonic gout, with aromatics ; 
and in dyspeptic affections with chalybeates, sulphate of zinc, or mineral acids. The dose is from f. § j. 
to f. i iij. given twice or thrice a-day. The tincture is prepared by digesting for seven days an ounce of 
chips of quassia-wood in two pints of proof spirit, and then straining. This may be used in the same cases 
as the infusion. It is asserted that the brewers have, of late years, used quassia-wood instead of hops. 
