ON A FALSE CINCHONA BARK OF INDIA. 
419 
The considerable interest which attaches to this plant does not depend so much 
on its proved efficacy in medicine as upon its history and botanical relations. 
Belonging to the same Order as the true Cinchonas, it so greatly resembles them 
in appearance that for many years it was known by the name of Cinchona 
excelsa, a name which was, I believe, first bestowed upon it by Pennant. Be¬ 
ing thus considered the only cinchona indigenous to India, great expectations 
were entertained that it would be found at least a most valuable febrifuge, if not 
an actual source of quinine. This opinion was, to some extent, corroborated by 
the bitter taste of the bark, and by its being used as a febrifuge among the 
natives. Roxburgh* states that the inner coats of the bark possess both the bitter¬ 
ness and astringency of Peruvian bark, and, when fresh, in a stronger degree. 
The bitter taste, however, on chewing, is not easily perceived, but is more last¬ 
ing. Ainslie, speaking of the various substitutes that had been recommended 
for Peruvian bark, mentions the bark of Cinchona excelsa as having been 
ascertained to possess powerful tonic and antifebrile virtues. 
O’Shaughnessy speaks of the bark as follows :f—“ The two inner leaves of 
the bark possess great bitterness and astringency ; the bark is used by tanners, 
and also as a medicine by the Hindoos in cases requiring astringents.” 
“ We have analysed the bark of Cinchona excelsa from the Botanic Gardens of 
Calcutta, but could detect no alkaline ingredient; nevertheless the trees of hilly 
regions may furnish the valuable desideratum. The stamens being contained 
within the tube affords much ground for expecting the discovery of a febrifuge 
alkaline in this species. 
The plant to whose bark the above-mentioned virtues are ascribed is a fina 
timber tree. Its handsome foliage might easily be mistaken by an observer not 
acutely botanical for that of Cinchona Peruviana. Its bark is thick with a liber 
of loose texture, but abundant in large, woody cells, which are thickened and 
hardened by ligneous deposit, so that they produce an almost gritty sensation 
when placed between the teeth. The bark possesses the remarkable property of 
being very bitter when quite fresh, but this bitterness diminishes on keeping, 
so that after a few days it has so decreased that the bark becomes nearly 
tasteless. 
The foregoing circumstances induced me to submit the bark to a careful che¬ 
mical examination, in the hope that I might be fortunate enough to discover a 
proximate principle, whose constitution might, perhaps, throw some light on 
that of the true cinchona alkaloids. 
By the kindness of Major Morgan, Deputy-Conservator of Forests, I ob¬ 
tained a supply of the fresh bark from the neighbourhood of Mudumullay. 
From it I was finally successful in obtaining the bitter principle in a pure 
crystalline state. After many trials, I found the following simple process 
enabled me to obtain it in considerable quantities:—The sliced fresh bark is 
boiled with water till it becomes somewhat soft, when it is drained and squeezed 
through a cloth. The bitter decoction thus obtained is carefully evaporated 
to a small bulk over an open fire, when it is mixed with a sufficient quantity of 
calcined magnesia to render it of a creamy consistency, after which it is evapo¬ 
rated to dryness by a steam heat. The residue is then powdered, placed in a 
flask, and repeatedly exhausted with strong alcohol, and filtered. The alcoholic 
extract thus produced is magnificently fluorescent, surpassing in this respect a 
solution of sulphate of quinine. The alcohol is then nearly removed by distilla¬ 
tion, and the liquid residue is set aside in a cool place for twelve hours, when 
* * Flora Indica,’ vol. ii. p. 149. 
f ‘ Bengal Dispensatory,’ 1842, pp. 394, 395. 
j Analj'ses of the bark of the Ilembra varieties of the cinchona of the Government planta¬ 
tions have not hitherto corroborated the hypothesis alluded to by O’Shaughnessy. 
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