EXAMINATION OP THE BARK OF MONESIA. 151 
ART. XXXIII.— CHEMICAL AND MEDICAL EXAMINATION 
OF THE BARK OF MONESIA. By MM. Bernard Derosne, 
O. Henry, and J. F. Paven. 
We are still uninformed as to the true vegetable which af- 
fords Monesia bark; the individual who has made it known 
to us, and who lived a long time in South America, having 
frequently had the opportunity of seeing its extract em- 
ployed empyrically, succeed in serious diseases of the alimen- 
tary canal, especially dysentery, determined to bring it to 
Europe, in order to permit its properties to be studied. From 
specimens with which she has favored us, we have become 
acquainted with this bark. But she has not been enabled to 
communicate any information with respect to the family or 
genus to which the tree belongs. We have made research in 
all the Pharmacopoeias and principal botanical works — have 
run over the collections of the Garden of Plants — have visited 
the conservatories of this great establishment, and finally, we 
have sought for information from persons especially engaged 
in natural history, and more particularly with woods and 
barks; in stating the result of our investigations, it will be 
judged whether it is our fault that we have not removed the 
obscurity which at present hangs over the origin of Mo- 
nesia. 
Monesia bark must be produced by a large-sized tree, for 
it is in pieces, some of which present a thickness of from six 
to eight millimetres ; it is very compact, heavy, hard, and 
gorged with extract; its color is deep brown, when retaining 
its whole thickness; one of the surfaces presents a sort of 
grayish epidermis, which contrasts with the chocolate color 
of the cut surface; its fracture is short and not fibrous, as that 
of oak bark, cinchona, &c; its taste is sweet at first, and 
sugary, but soon after becomes acrid and irritative to the 
throat. 
