BARK or STRYCHNOS NUX VOMICA. 345 
acid property. I consider it as the colouring matter of the 
root. 
3. The glue of gentian is composed of wax, oil, and caout- 
chouc. 
Journal de Pharmacie. 
ART. LVI.— BARK OF STRYCHNOS NUX VOMICA, SOLD IN 
INDIA FOR THE ROHUN, OR SWIETENIA FEBRIFUUA. 
The bark of rohun has for a long time been employed 
with success in intermittent fever, and it was supposed that it 
contained quinia. To encourage researches, the Medical So- 
ciety of Calcutta offered a medal of gold to the individual 
who should discover the desired substance; and during the 
following year, Dr. Piddington announced that he had settled 
the question. (See vols. iv. and v. of Trans, of Med. and 
Phys. Society.) But upon his arrival in India, in Decem- 
ber, 1833, Dr. O'Shaugnessy (Professor of Chemistry in the 
Medical College of Calcutta) having been invited to repeat 
the experiments, the discovery of Dr. Piddington was not 
confirmed. A specimen of the pretended quinia was sent to 
Dr. O'Shaugnessy; a quarter of a grain was given to a cat, 
and the animal died at the end of an hour and a half, in violent 
spasms. Numerous experiments were made with the same 
substance, with the same results. The quinia of Dr. Pidding- 
ton was nothing else but strychnia; for Dr. Wallich determined 
the bark from which it was derived to be that of Strychiios 
nux vomica. The false rohun stands in the same light as 
the false angustura, which, some years back, having been in- 
troduced into Europe, produced so many accidents, that the 
Austrian government and other powers caused to be destroyed 
all found within their territories. 
