Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-09
IMPORTANT NEW BOTANICAL MEDICINES.

Two kinds of Quebracho are now known
in English commerce, namely, the white,
Ouebracho blanco (Aspidosperma Quebra.
chol, and the red, Quebracho colorado
(Loxopterygium Lorentzii) The first of
these is an ApocyDaceous, growing abund-
antly III the province of Santiago, and the
bark has been used for many years as
febrifuge in South America, instead of Gin
chona latterly, however, it has assumed
a prominent position in this country, and is
in great demand as remedy in dyspnGa.
The bark has been found upon examination
to contain crystalEzable alkaloid called
aspidodermin. The wood Of this plant, to-
gether with that of the red Quebracho, Is
used in tanning on account OF Its astrin-
gency, Under the name of Otto bark, that
OF Alstonea scholars has latterly attracted
some attention. This tree is widely diff
fused in India and the Moluccas. The
wood is extremely light, and is said to be
used in Ceylon for making collins. The
bark is intensely bitter, and is well known
in India for its medicinal properties, being
used az a tonic in dysentery, diarrhea and
similar complaints. A substance contained
in this bark, which was at first mistaken
for an alkaoid principle and named d.
taine. has since been found to be "a sub
stance of complex nature containing a
definite principle, ditamine, which acts on
the animal economy like curare, and which
it would be very dangerous to use as
quiuine." Another species OF Alstonea
Ca. constricta), tree of Australia, pro-
duces a bark which, as it appears IN COM
merce. is thick, of an ash-gray color on the
outside, and of brightish yellow inside.
This bark has been introduced for the cure
of malarious disorders. Perhaps one OF
the most remarkable introductions, how
ever. of late years is new remedy for
neuralgia, which has latterly attracted
much attention in consequence of the difh-
Guilty there has been in discovering the bo-
tauical source of the ingredients used. This
new medicine is known by the name OF
Tonga, and has been brought to England
from the FIJI Islands. The name of Tonga
seems to have been given to the drug with
out any meaning, and simply for want of
something more definite. For use the
rough native bundle, with the cocoanut
fiber still attached, and without being un-
fastened. is recommended to be stepped In
half tumbler of cold water for ten min
utes; the bag or bundle is then to be
squeezed into the tumblcr, and the infusion
so prepared taken in doses of a claret glass
ful three times day, about half an hour
before meal. After so using, the bundle
or bag is to be hung up in dry place to
prevent it getting modify. and it is ready
for use at any time, the same bag answer
ing the same purpose for year or more. A
persistent use of Tonga infusion thus pre-
pared is said to be certain cure for neu-
ralgia indeed, it is stated as fact that
cure has been effected on the second or
third day. The drug has been recently
sent out by an eminent firm OF London
chemists, both in the form of the native
bags and prepared as S tincture or infusion.
The reports by medical men on the efficacy
of this new drug, combined with the novel
form il which it has appeared, and the diff
Guilty OF discovering its origin, owing to
the small fragments into which it is broken,
which appears to be done purpoSely to pre-
vent its discovery, ill tend to make this
remedy one Of considerable interest. 1t is
not Improbable that the composition iu-
clades parts Of more than one plant. Z.
NJ. Holmes of She Pharmaceutical Society,
who has carefully examined the substance,
ths1ks that the stem of species OF Rhaph-
idophora, probably Rhaphidophora vitien-
sis seems to play an important part in the
mixture Gardeners Chronicle.
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