December 3,1870.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
441 
CINCHONA CULTIVATION IN JAVA. 
BY JOHN ELIOT HOWARD. 
Many readers of this Journal feel a deep interest 
in the introduction of the cinchona-trees into the 
regions of the East. These will naturally inquire 
what are the results, as practically ascertained, 
from the many years of labour and the great expense 
incurred since the month of April, 1852, when the 
first plant of genuine cinchona arrived safely at 
Java; and still more expressly since the 13tli De¬ 
cember, 1854, when M. Hasskarl (sent out by the 
Dutch Government to collect seeds) arrived with his 
precious cargo at Batavia. 
The first date was that of the introduction of the 
Cinchona Calisaya from seeds collected by Dr. 
Weddell* (from some one of its varieties apparently); 
the latter was the period from which ive reckon the 
acclimatization of quite another species, which seems 
to have found a more congenial habitat than the first 
on the mountains of Java. In fact, the propagation 
of this latter was so easy and rapid that it became 
soon an object of attention to botanists, and of some¬ 
what anxious consideration. The plants ere long 
numbered hundreds of thousands, and the possible 
eventual value of the species, as a source to be relied 
upon for the production of quinine, was doubtful. 
At the end of 1863 these plants were reported 
1,139,148 against only 12,093 of Calisaya , and a few 
hundreds of other species. 
Being unfamiliar to botanists, it was mistaken for 
the C. lucumafiolia, an illusion which I assisted to 
dispel; and in the year 1860, being engaged in the 
publication of my ‘ Nueva Quinologia,’ I received 
from my friends in Java very ample materials for 
the description of the species. At the suggestion 
of those most interested, and as a compliment 
well deserved by his exertions in the cause of cin¬ 
chona cultivation, I named it C. Pahudianci, after 
the Governor, M. Pahud, whose term of office was 
just about expiring. I then pronounced it an inferior 
species, and expressed my belief that it would prove 
a source of disappointment to the Dutch Govern¬ 
ment. From this opinion I have never departed, 
although I have been willing to follow, with a greater 
or less degree of expectation, the researches of my 
friend Dr. De Vrij, whose analysis of the root-bark 
shows better results than I have been able to obtain 
from that of the rest of the tree. 
It wall be understood that I refer to the quinine- 
producing powers of the species, which seem to me 
unpromising. In other respects, I have been in¬ 
duced to modify my judgment in a more favourable 
sense. It is well known that from a therapeutic and 
pharmaceutical point of view r , the value of a specimen 
of bark does not coincide with the amount of quinine 
it may contain. Other ingredients, and among them 
the alkaloid commonly known as uncrystallizahle 
quinine (of which this bark possesses a large share), 
no doubt contribute largely to the medicinal qualities 
of the bark, and I believe that Dr. De Vrij considers 
his experiments show that this is superseded by real 
quinine in the roots. I have found that the bark 
transmitted by Mr. MTvor as that of G. Paliudiana, 
and skilfully prepared by him, attracted the atten¬ 
tion of a London broker familiar with the article in 
* Soubeiran ct Delondrc, del’Introductionetde 1’Acclima¬ 
tion des Cinchonas dans les Indes Neerlandaises. 1868. 
Pa£c 27. 
Third Series, No. 23. 
preference to those of other, and, in my opinion, 
superior kinds sent at the same time. I have, con¬ 
sequently, taken up a land of neutral position in the 
contest which has been waged with fierceness over 
this plant even in the Chambers of the Dutch Go¬ 
vernment. In so doing I have, as is usual, incurred 
an amount of obloquy disproportionate to the of¬ 
fence, and which is avowedly increased by my having 
been favoured with so much assistance from my 
friends in Java, in the way of specimens and of 
botanical descriptions, as I have fully acknowledged 
in my ‘ Quinologia.’ _ Professor Miquel, in particular, 
has attacked me personally on the subject, though I 
have never either seen or had correspondence with 
him. In my ‘ Quinology of the East Indian Planta¬ 
tions ’ I expressed myself thus:—“It is extremely 
unpleasant to come in contact with such a state of 
things, and I find that I am censured for not being 
sufficiently one-sided in the dispute. The writer in 
‘ Gids ’ says, ‘ Mr. Howard, who described the un¬ 
fortunate sort as a new species in his noble work on 
cinchona, although he at first, with reason, brought 
its usefulness into question, afterwards took a posi¬ 
tion of weakness and uncertainty as the conflict 
began to wax warm,’” etc. 
To this I have only to reply that I have published 
such information as came to my hands as correctly 
as I could, and intend still to do so. I see no occa¬ 
sion to alter my account of the species given in the 
‘ Nueva Quinologia,’ and still believe that it is with¬ 
out value if looked at simply as a source for the ex¬ 
traction of quinine ; but as regards the root-harlc, I 
have personally no information to oppose to the 
favourable estimate elsewhere entertained, and must 
therefore maintain a position of “ uncertainty” till 
this is removed by those who can decide the question. 
If the C. Pahudiana be looked upon in another point 
of view, viz. as a possible source of bark for phar¬ 
maceutical purposes, I have shown in my reports 
given to the Government of British India, on speci¬ 
mens from Ootacamund, that the quill bark is not 
only not worthless, but that such quills as those sent 
by MTvor were actually preferred to other kinds 
sent with them by dealers most competent to judge 
in London, and this is not without reason, from their 
taste, appearance and chemical composition. I can¬ 
not, therefore, agree with those who recommended * 
the superfluous labour of cutting down the trees ; 
neither can I rank this plant “among the best sorts of 
all,” as, it seems, some have attempted to do. The 
trees having now many years’ growth, might perhaps 
furnish quill bark fit for the home market ; and I shall 
be surprised if it is not at least equally valued there 
with the bark of the so-called C. Calisaya, which, 
I am afraid, will prove “unfortunate” also, at least 
if it produces but T3 per cent, as described by Van 
Gorkom. 
It will be seen that the above estimate of mine 
has been fully borne out by experience, but in the 
meantime I must revert to the learned professor, 
who, as I am informed by my friends (for he has 
not sent me a copy of his workf), says,— 
“ Veritati contrarium est, quod nuper adliuc excla- 
* I have added the italics in this and other places to direct 
the reader’s attention. Compare this with the version, “A 
magistrate nostro Indico^Vsszm fuisse,” etc. _ 
•f “ De Cinchonre speciebus quibusdam adjectis iis qufe in 
Java coluntur, scripsit F. A. Guil. Miquel, in Anna 1 . 3Iusei 
JBotanici Lngdwio-Batavi,” tom. iv. fasc. is. p. 263; 186i). 
