No. 578, REVENUE, 16TH JULY 1897.
reported to have been sent to Nedivattam and Dodabetta and there transplanted in
baskets. The seeds were imported to remedy the deterioration of the plantation-
bred crown bark plants which experts reported to be due partly to hybridisation and
partly to climatic influences. This matter should receive the careful attention of the
Director. The comparative success of the plants grown from the foreign and home
seeds should be noted in future reports. The Director should also report whether the
recommendation of the Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, to maintain a
small plantation of stock of crown bark in an isolated position so as to render hybri-
disation impossible has been tried and with what success.
6. The subjoined statement exhibits the quantities of cinchona bark, quinine and
febrifuge in stock at the beginning of the year, the additions made thereto and the.
quantities disposed of during the year and the balance on hand at its close :—
—
In stock at t h e b e g i n -
ning of 1896-97.
Additions
made
during
1896-97.
Total.
Disposed
of
1896–97.
Balance.
LBS.
LBS.
LBS.
LBS.
LBS.
Bark . .. .. • • • • . , • •
300,030
186,867
486,897
240,146
246,751
Q u i n i n e . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 , 8 8 0
7,891
10,771
5,909
4 , 8 6 2
F e b r i f u g e . . . . . . . . . . . .
1,586
3,350
4,936
3,709
1,227
It will be noted that the figures given in the second column of the statement
above do not agree with those given in the last column of the corresponding statement
attached to paragraph 7 of the review of the report for 1895-96, wherein the balance
outstanding at the close of that year of bark, quinine and febrifuge was shown to be
190,372 lbs., 2,940 lbs. and 1,564 lbs., respectively. The figures given in statements
8 a n d 1 2 a p p e n d e d t o t h e p r e v i o u s y e a r ' s r e p o r t s o f a r a s t h e b a r k i s c o n c e r n e d a r e n o w
reported to be wrong, but it has not been explained how the mistake arose. In the
case of quinine, however, Mr. Hooper had already stated that 60 lbs. should be excluded
as due to " dryage " and in reply to a reference made on this point in paragraph 7
of G.O., No. 350, Revenue, dated 23rd July 1896, Mr. Standen in August last
explained that the deficit was not actually due to any " dryage," but was the result
of " a loss amounting to about 1 per cent. experienced in repacking quinine in small
quantities and in putting up the powders in envelopes." The increase noticeable
i n t h e s t o c k o f f e b r i f u g e a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e y e a r h a s n o w h e r e b e e n e x p l a i n e d , a n d
on this point as well as the probable cause of the abnormal difference in the figures
relating to the bark in stock, the Government desires to receive a further report from
Mr. Standen.
7. No bark was purchased from private growers during the year under review
with reference to the orders issued in December 1896 and the addition of 186,867 lbs.
made during the year represented the quantity harvested from the Government planta-
tions. The bark utilized in the manufacture of quinine and febrifuge amounted
to 238,100 lbs. and the quantity of the two drugs extracted therefrom, 7,891 lbs and
3,350 lbs., respectively. The percentage of the yield of quinine to bark was thus
3 . 3 a s a g a i n s t 1
. 5 i n t h e p r e v i o u s y e a r . T h e d i f f e r e n c e i s p a r t l y t o b e a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e
fact that a very slightly larger percentage of crown bark was used in 1896-97, but
was chiefly due to the improved system of the manufacture of quinine introduced by
Mr. Standen during the year under review. Briefly, this system consisted in more
thoroughly exhausting the bark of its alkaloids. It involves, however, a greater
expenditure of fusel oil and hence the Director intends to restrict its application to
crown bark. From the figures furnished in the report it cannot easily be ascertained
whether a lb. of quinine under the new system actually costs less than under the old.
Mr. Standen is requested to report on the point.
8. The quantity of quinine manufactured and that disposed of during the year
under review were the highest on record since the establishment of the Nedivattam
factory in 1889-90. Of the disposals, the supplies to the Government Medical
Stores formed as usual the heaviest items. There was, however, a noteworthy fall in
26