CINCHONA PITAYA OR PITAYA BARK. 
169 
covered by two Italian chemists, Folchi and Peretti. The parcel 
alluded to was purchased by a drug-house in Boston, eight or ten 
years since, from the mate of a whaling vessel ; no information 
was obtained by them respecting the locality in South America, 
whence it was procured ; but it may be inferred that it came from 
the Northwest Coast, since ports in that region are said to be the 
only ones which the whalemen frequent. 
It is apparently taken from the younger branches of the tree, is 
closely quilled, the quills are about twenty -four inches in length ; 
in diameter, from three-eighths to one inch, and about an eighth- 
inch in thickness ; it is compact, and destitute of the fibrous struc- 
ture observable in the true Cinchonas. 
The color of the outer surface is a dull brown, interspersed with 
irregular patches, which are of a lighter tint than the surround- 
ing portions ; in some specimens possessing a citron or yellowish 
brown, and in others a gray color. These spots vary in length 
from one-quarter of an inch to six inches ; and in breadth, from a 
quarter inch to the. whole surface of the quill. Those of the citron 
color seem to be slightly depressed,' as if a part of the exterior 
coat had been removed, but a close examination shows this not to 
be the case. The gray spots are not as sharply defined, and appear 
to be caused by the presence of cryptogamous plants. The inner 
surface varies from a light to a dark brown, and is in some speci- 
mens nearly black. The transverse fracture is irregular, has a 
deep orange color, and a disagreeable permanently bitter taste, 
very different from the aromatic bitter of the true Cinchona. 
At that time I instituted a series of experiments, with a view of 
isolating this alkaloid, as well as for the purpose of ascertaining 
as far as possible the other constituents. I was entirely unsuc- 
cessful in detecting any alkaline principle, and the result of my 
observations were, that, beside ligneous fibre, its principle consti- 
tuents are, resin, gum in small proportion, a sweetish substance, 
red coloring matter, a green coloring substance soluble in ether j 
a volatile principle to which the odor of the bark is due, and inor- 
ganic lime salts, consisting mainly of chloride and sulphate, to 
which may be added a bitter principle, soluble in water and alco- 
hol, which may be classed with the long list of analogous sub- 
stances under the head of bitter extractive. 
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