8f) REPORTS OF MADRAS AND BOMBAY CINCHONA COMMISSIONS. 
8. The main conclusion which the members of the commission have derived from the 
data before them is, that the alkaloids hitherto but little valued in medicine are scarcely, 
if at all, inferior as therapeutical agents to quinine. 
What the exact differences may be in their physiological and therapeutical action is a 
question the answering of which may fitly be deferred until more data have been col¬ 
lected in reference to the new alkaloid. The differences, however, will most likely be 
found to be of degree rather than of kind ; and practically, so far as the wants of India 
are concerned, it will be just as well that the locally-grown barks yield a large propor¬ 
tion of one alkaloid as of another. 
9. So impressed are we of the value of these hitherto despised alkaloids, that the 
members of the commission are unanimous in considering that, in the public service of 
this country, they may very advantageously be substituted in part for quinine. If three 
pounds of cinchonine can be obtained at the price of one pound of quinine, we consider 
that a great public good would result from the purchase of the larger quantity, as it 
would enable the officers of the medical department to benefit a much larger number of 
the population than they can now afford to treat by prescribing quinine. 
II. Preliminary Report of the Bombay Cinchona Commission. 
From Dr. F. S. Arnott, President, of the Bombay Cinchona Commission, to the Chief 
Secretary to Government, General Department, Bombay. 
March 2 Glh, 1867. 
Sir,—I do myself the honour to report that, as required by resolution dated 26th 
May last, the Medical Commission, as therein appointed, consisting of myself as Presi¬ 
dent, and Drs. Nicolson, Hunter, and Joynt, as members, has had under investigation 
the cinchona alkaloids, and now begs to submit to the Government of Bombay the re¬ 
sults of that investigation. 
2. To give full effect to the instructions conveyed in the Secretary of State’s letter, 
the Committee deemed it advisable at once to forward to medical officers, both in civil 
and military employ, at various stations of this Presidency, and particularly those 
situated in malarious districts, small quantities of each alkaloid for the most careful 
experiment and report. The Committee, at the same time, requested the co-operation 
of the Principal Medical Officer, British troops, in allowing experiments to be made in 
the hospitals of her Majesty’s regiments, which he most kiudly acceded to, so that the 
Committee is able to judge of the effects of the alkaloids both on the European and 
native constitution. 
3. In forwarding the alkaloids, the Committee at the same time sent certain instruc¬ 
tions which it had drawn up, and which it was directed each medical officer should ob¬ 
serve as much as possible in making his observations and in framing his report. These 
instructions were as follows, and the Committee have to record its high sense of the 
care with which the greater number of the reports have been framed, and the valuable 
and conclusive information they furnish: — 
“ Her Majesty’s Government being desirous to have tested the febrifuge and other 
therapeutical effects of certain alkaloids procured from the bark of the cinchona trees, 
the Commission, of which I am President, has the honour to inform you that small 
quantities of them, as noted below, have been forwarded to you, and requests that you 
will subject each to the most careful experiment in your hospital. 
“ The Commission is anxious to ascertain,— 
I. What medicinal virtues these alkaloids possess. 
II. Their general effects on the human system in health and disease. 
III. To what extent they possess the anti-periodic effects of quinine. 
IV. Their efficacy in the treatment of the common fever of the country, as well as 
in other diseases for which quinine is held in repute. 
V. Their relative values as remedial agents ; and 
VI. Their proper doses. 
“ (3) On the completion of your experiments, which it is hoped may be not later than 
the 1st of January, 1867, you are requested to report to ine the opinions you have 
arrived at on the various points mentioned in paragraph 2 of this letter, stating gene¬ 
rally the circumstances under which you have prescribed the different alkaloids,—that 
