An Inquiry Into the Medical Efficacy of a New Species of Peruvian Bark; Lately Imported Into This Country Under the Name of Yellow Bark Including Pra (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1794. Excerpt: ... length, and a line and a half in thickness; two strata of which are very evident, that immediately under the epidermis is yellowish, spongy, insipid, easily rubbed into powder. between the fingers and thumb, and is externally rough, and intersected by deep fissures. The inner stratum is compact, fibrous, of a more deep or greenish brown, and of a nauseous sweet, and intensely bitter taste. The bark of the branches is convoluted, and covered with a thin, grey, wrinkled cuticle, beset with lichen leprosus; all the bark of the branches is more tender, and of a lighter colour. The radish-like and aromatic taste which Dr. Wright discovered, on first putting this bark in his mouth, could not be perceived by Professor Murray, nor could he find that it possessed any sensible astringency. But all the specimens of it (which he had from Dr. Wright) exhibited on the internal surface, an appearance of shining minute cryjlals. Murray thinks that the outer stratum ought to be rejected as effete: the inner, when powdered, has the appearance of common Peruvian Bark, but from the experiments of Dr. Skeete, it is much less astringent. In the opinion of Dr. Wright, the Bark of the Caribean Cinchona is not inferior in efficacy to that of the officinalis.--See a full account and figure of this species in the Philosophical Transactions, vol. 67. The Cinchona floribunda another species, discovered in the West India Islands, especially at St. Lucie, and hence called the St. Lucie Bark Tree, has since the year 1780 become well known. Mr. Davidson's account of it in the 74th vol. of the Philosophical Transactions, is accompanied with a figure, by which it may be compared with the other species of this genus. It is there characterized Cinchona floribus paniculatis glabris, laciniis ...