352 
CINCHONA  CULTIVATION  IN  CEYLON. 
that  they  should  be  made  into  a  mucilage  with  a  few  drops  of 
strong  solution  of  gum,  prior  to  being  absorbed  by  the  powders. 
Oxide  of  silver  should  be  compounded  with  non-saccharine  sub- 
stances, to  prevent  deoxidation.  Many  pill-masses,  as  the  com- 
pound galbanum,  yield  readily  to  a  warm  pestle  and  mortar, 
when  all  other  treatment  fails.  The  objectionable  smell  and 
flavor  of  valerianate  of  zinc  and  other  offensive  medicines,  may  be 
almost  entirely  covered  by  a  skilful  coating  of  silver  leaf  or  of 
balsam-tolu. 
The  next  class  of  preparations — ointments — will  not  require 
many  comments.  They  should  be  made  uniform,  both  in  con- 
sistency and  color,  and  every  trace  of  grittiness  avoided  by  rub- 
bing down  insoluble  substances  with  oil,  or  dissolving  in  hot 
water  such  as  are  soluble,  as  in  the  case  of  iodide  of  potassium 
and  tartar  emetic.  A  metal  knife  should  not  be  used  for  oint- 
ments containing  nitrate  of  mercury,  corrosive  sublimate,  iodine, 
or  even  red  precipitate,  if  the  ointment  be  melted  or  the  knife 
have  to  come  in  contact  with  the  precipitate  prior  to  its  being 
thoroughly  mixed  in  the  ointment. 
The  last  preparations  to  be  touched  upon  are  plasters,  as 
regards  the  manipulation  of  which  more  may  be  learned  by  one 
month's  practice  than  by  twelve  months  lecturing.  Perhaps  the 
stiff  "  paper  form"  may  be  suggested,  as  affording  a  great  im- 
provement upon  the  old  system  of  spreading  plasters  without 
one.  Also  that  opium,  belladonna  and  ammoniacum  plasters 
should  have  an  adhesive  margin. —  Trans.  Leeds  Chem.  Assoc., 
in  Pharrn.  Jour.,  May,  1866. 
ON  CINCHONA  CULTIVATION  IN  CEYLON. 
By  Mr.  Clements  Markham. 
(Communicated  to  the  Botanical  Society  of  Edinburgh  by  Dr.  Greville.) 
Mr.  Markham  has  been  deputed  by  the  Government  to  visit 
the  planters  along  the  western  coast  of  India,  and  try  to  induce 
them  to  cultivate  the  Cinchona  tree,  in  order' that  a  new  source 
of  supply  of  quinine  may  be  obtained.  He  had  been  visiting 
and  reporting  on  the  Hakgalla  Cinchona  Plantation,  in  Ceylon. 
He  says  that  the  site  at  Hakgalla  is  well  chosen,  as  closely  re- 
