1 64  The  Apocynacece  in  Materia  Medica.  {AmM™ci*m!m' 
equal  to  cinchona,  but  this  reputation  has  not  been  justified  in 
Europe.  As  a  tonic  it  is  of  less  value  than  many  European 
astringents.  Its  antidyspnoeic  action  renders  it  especially  valuable 
in  asthma,  emphysema  and  even  in  phthisis. 
Pao-Pereira. — This  drug  is  the  bark  of  Geissospermum  Vellozii 
Fr.  Allem.  (Taberncemontana  Icevis  Veil,  Vallesia  inedita  Guib., 
Vallesia  punctata  Spreng.,  Geissospermum  lave  H.  Bn.),  a  tree  of 
tropical  Brazil.  It  is  in  flat  or  slightly-curved  pieces,  15  to  20  centi- 
metres lopg,  I  to  5  centimetres  broad  and  4  to  8  millimetres  in 
thickness.  The  external  surface  is  reddish-yellow,  more  or  less 
fissured,  and  the  internal  is  generally  formed  of  thin  papyraceous 
layers,  having  a  tendency  to  strip  off.  The  transverse  fracture  is 
difficult  and  unequal.  The  odor  is  very  slight.  Taste  extremely 
bitter.  According  to  Hesse,  it  contains  two  principles,  the  one 
Geissospermine  crystalline  and  the  other  Pereirine  amorphous.  It  is 
recommended  as  antithermic,  antiperiodic  and  tonic. 
Ochrosia  borbonica. — The  bark  of  Ochrosia  borbonica  Gmel. 
This  tree  inhabits  Reunion,  Mauritius,  Ceylon,  Java,  the  Mascarenes, 
etc.,  and  is  commonly  known  as  "  Yellow-woody  The  bark  is 
ordinarily  in  pieces,  4  to  6  cm.  long  by  2  to  4  cm.  wide  and  2  mm. 
in  thickness. 
The  external  surface  is  nearly  entirely  covered  with  greenish  or 
grayish  lichens,  is  strongly  ridged  and  brownish  in  color  beneath 
the  lichens.  The  internal  face  is  red  to  dark  brown,  striated  longi- 
tudinally and  with  the  internal  layers  only  slightly  adhering.  The 
fracture  is  clear  on  the  outside,  unequal,  but  not  fibrous  on  the 
inner  layer.  M.  Boissard  has  separated  from  the  yellow-wood  a 
shining  white  substance,  crystallizing  in  fine  needles.  This  sub- 
stance, named  Ochrosiney  has  been  studied  by  Dr.  Vinson,  who 
writes  it  is  tonic  and  analeptic.  The  bark  is  employed  among  the 
Mascarenes  as  tonic,  stomachic  and  febrifuge. 
Holarrhena  africana. — The  bark  of  Holarrhena  africana 
A. DC,  appeared  in  commerce  under  the  name  of  African  quinine 
bark  and  erroneously  also  as  conessi  bark.  This  bark  is  employed 
in  tropical  Africa,  where  it  is  known  as  "  Gbomi,"  against  dysentery. 
Externally  it  is  brown  or  blackish  gray,  suberous  and  more  or  less 
covered  with  lichens.  Internally,  fawn  or  brownish  in  color,  raised 
in  irregular  fibrous  plates.  Fracture  coarse,  but  little  fibrous ;  odor 
slight  and  taste  bitter. 
