Observations on the superior efficacy of the red Peruvian bark, in the cure of agues and other fevers. Interspersed with occasional remarks on the treatment of other diseases, by the same remedy / by William Saunders.

Date:
1782
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the superior efficacy of the red Peruvian bark, in the cure of agues and other fevers. Interspersed with occasional remarks on the treatment of other diseases, by the same remedy / by William Saunders. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    that the larger pieces of Bark which -were imported into this country along with the fmaller Bark, were either of a fibrons, fpongy, or ligneous texture; or, probably damaged by moifure, and taken from decayed trees. Dniggifls have fomeSimes fuggefted this as an argu- ment againfi the ufe of theprefent Bark, and many pro- bably endeavour to oppofe its introduUion, until the quan- tity in the markets be greater, and more equally divided A 2 amo g there be any, may arire, perhaps, from the difFerent ages of the trees. Few but young ones are now to be met with: I do not remember to have feen any much thicker than my arm, or a- bove 12 or 15 feet high; thofe which are cut young, fhoot forth new branches from the ftumps. I was informed at Loxa, that heretofore, they preferred the coarfefl; Bark, and laid it by as a rarity, but now the fineft iS moft efteemcd: the rnerchants may poffibly find their account in it. as it ta'^cs up lels room in packing. But a direftor of the Engitjh South Sea Company at Panama, through winch all the Quinquina that comes to Europe muft pafs, affured me, that the preference given at pre fen t to the fine Bark, is in confequence of feveral chymical analyfes and expei iments which have been made on both forts in England. It feems probable, that the difficultv of xhoroughly drying the large coarfc bark, and the humidity it is naturally apt to contraQ: and retain, has hel )ed to bring it into difrepute. Vulgar prejudice will have it, that to lofe nothing ot its virtue, the tree (hould be barked in the moon's decreafc, and on the eafl; fide. Thele circumftances, as alfo its bring gathered on the mbuntain of Cajanuma, were cer- tified by a notary in 1735, where the mavqu'S de Ca/lelfuerte procured a quantity of Quinquina from Loxa, to carry to Sj^ain on his return. Memoir dc i'Acad. d, Sc, 1738.