706 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[March 2, 1872. 
these numbers do not accurately express a regular dimi¬ 
nution of increment is doubtless attributable to the diffi¬ 
culty which occurs in collecting, in successive years, a 
sample which shall accurately represent the mean yield 
of the bark of a large number of trees, together with the 
difficulty in collecting the samples each year under pre¬ 
cisely comparable circumstances. 
3. From certain results obtained in the comparison of 
the analyses of barks that have been treated with moss 
with those of the natural unmossed bark, I am strongly 
inclined to believe that if the bark of our oldest trees 
has not actually reached the age of its greatest yield, it 
must have very nearly approached it. As this is a point 
of some importance, which cannot be held decided with¬ 
out positive proof hereafter be obtained, I here merely 
mention my personal opinion. 
4. In a report appearing in Proceedings Madras Go¬ 
vernment, 22nd February, 1870, No. 235, para. 4, I had 
occasion to mention that the amount of quinine had dimi¬ 
nished during past years in the red barks, although that 
of the total alkaloids had increased. During the last two 
years it appears that the amount of quinine has remained 
nearly constant, and probably in years to come its amount 
will hereafter remain nearly stationary in our red bark. 
5. From the above analyses, it also seems probable 
that the amount of obtainable crystallized sulphate of 
cinchonidine is diminishing with the increase of age. 
But, with the present evidence, I cannot hold this yet to 
he quite clear; since the determination of the amount of 
crystallized sulphates is apt to be modified by circum¬ 
stances other than the real amount of pure alkaloid, 
which latter it only approximately indicates. 
6. The large amount of variation according to circum¬ 
stance of growth met with in the bark of C. officinalis , 
renders a precise determination of its mean quality a 
work of great difficulty. I here quote certain analyses 
of this bark calculated in percentages of its dry state:— 
Crown Bark from Dodabetta Plantation. 
1 . 
2. 
3. 
4. 
Trees of good 
growth, 6 years 
6 months of age. 
Trees of good 
growth, 5 years 
9 months of age. 
Oldest 
Trees. 
Trees 
of fiue 
growth. 
Total alkaloids .... 
5-26 
3 JO 
6-53 
6-91 
Quinine. 
3-48 
1-62 
4J8 
4-71 
Cinchonidine and cincho- 
nine. 
1-78 
1*50 
2-35 
2-20 
Sulphate of quinine ob¬ 
tained crystallized . . 
3-25 
1-64 
4J7 
4-80 
Sulphate of cinchonidine 
obtained crystallized . 
2-04 
1J4 
1-57 
1-60 
Crown Bark from Neddivuttum Plantation. 
Trees 6 years 
9 months 
of age. 
Trees 6 years 
3 months of 
age, of good 
growth. 
Total alkaloids. 
4-96 
6-01 
Quinine. 
3-03 
4J9 
Cinchonidine and cinchonine 
1-93 
1*32 
Sulphate of quinine obtained 
crystallized. 
Sulphate of cinchonidine ob- 
3J4 
4-24 
tained crystallized . . . 
1-05 
1-39 
7. The above analyses, though comparatively useless 
to determine the alteration of the bark with age, are ad¬ 
duced as showing the high quality of the barks. Though 
it falls without my province to speak of the improve¬ 
ment in the growth of the C. officinalis trees, yet I cannot 
forbear to remark that a low yield is getting much less 
frequent in their bark than formerly. Both the crown 
barks of Dodabetta plantation, which consists entirely 
of this species, and those of Neddivuttum, are improving 
in quality. The increase in the yields of alkaloids is 
quite apparent, although I cannot with accuracy express 
its actual amount. This increase is due to quinine; and 
at present it actually appears probable that hereafter 
the total yield of alkaloids will equal that of the red 
bark. These two kinds divide between them nearly the 
whole of our plantations. For European quinine manu¬ 
facture, the bark of C. officinalis is admirably suited, as 
it is so rich in quinine. In addition, it is easy to work, 
and the sulphate of quinine crystallizes with great readi¬ 
ness and purity. It is especially the bark for export to 
Europe. A small quantity is now packed for sending 
to England, and I trust that, from time to time, its ex¬ 
port may be continued. 
8. In total yield the bark of C. sued rubra is the rich¬ 
est, but, in its natural state, at least, this consists mainly 
of cinchonidine, cinchonine, and occasionally quini- 
dine,—alkaloids which custom and the addition of fresh 
names, coincident with the first separation of these sub¬ 
stances, have kept out of extensive therapeutical use. 
The medical reports of the Cinchona Commissioners of 
the Indian Presidencies, and the report on the medical 
use of “amorphous quinine,” appear to indicate that 
these alkaloids—and consequently red bark—is the 
kind that can be employed most usefully in India. In 
Europe the price of the natural red bark will hereafter 
sink, when it is brought into competition with crown 
bark. How far, by careful special cultivation of the red 
bark, it may hereafter be possible to modify this result, 
it would at present be premature to speculate. 
9. After the above kinds, the most important at pre¬ 
sent cultivated on the plantations is undoubtedly that of 
C. calisaya. As in my former reports the trees of ca¬ 
lisaya were very young, it is quite natural to find the 
amount of alkaloids in the bark has increased. The 
most remarkable point about the plants of C. calisaya is 
the great number of varieties. These display almost 
every habit. As it was necessary to examine the bark 
of the trees of most marked character, in order to deter¬ 
mine the kind most suitable for cultivation, these varie¬ 
ties have taken up much time. I have the honour to 
quote the analyses of several of these varieties. The 
alkaloids are given in percentages contained in dry 
bark. 
Trunk Bark of C. calisaya grown at Neddivuttum. 
I. 
II. 
III. 
IY. 
Y. 
Total alkaloids . 
3-95 
3-93 
5-28 
4J6 
5-36 
Quinine . . . 
Cinchonidine and 
2-67 
3J8 
1-02 
2-50 
4-67 
cinchonine . . 
1-28 
0-75 
4-26 
1-66 
0-69 
10. These represent fairly the different yields I have 
met with among the kinds of C. calisaya raised from seed 
obtained from Mr. Money. They are, as a whole, of 
good quality, but No. V., or the bark of a variety with 
broad leaves, which are red in the under surface and of 
vigorous habit, is the kind which should be propagated, 
as it is the one whose cultivation can be most profitably 
extended. I have examined the bark of several other 
varieties besides those whose analyses are given above, 
but find them all inferior to No. V., and promising 
nothing remarkable in their qualities. The bark of our 
C. calisaya is of excellent quality, and is better suited 
for quinine manufacturers’ use than that of C. succirubra. 
