The Osceola times., 1882-05-13
tEyER'S ANTIDOTE.
Importations of ChinchOna Bark and the
Prices Of Quinine for 1881.
New York Times.

New York Times
The review of the drug trade of New
York. which Mr.. d. c Robbins presents
every year in such lucid manner, con-
tains for 1881 many subjects which are
treated in a most interesting manner.
Mr.. Robbins, from an examination OF the
principal commercial agencies. believes
that the drug trade has suffered more
from the failures this year than any
other. Dividing the whole trade into
the two great classes Of technical and
medicinal goods---the frs. used chiefly or
wholly for the arts, the latter only for
medication-. technical goods depending
then on prosperous manufactures, lave
been tolerably active. As to the con-
sumption of purely medicinal goods, as
the demand cannot be forced, the bust
ness seems to have remained about uni.
form. In 1881, Of dutiable drugs and
chemicals, value represented by $l3,-
526,S3I was entered, and of free goods
$2S, ,2s5 921, which varies but few hund-
reds of dollars from the whole importa-
tions of 1880. 1t is, however, very much
larger than the entries of former years.
These large entries of drugs and chemi-
Gals for consumption, Mr.. Robbins be-
lieves. have been excessive, for he states
"The value of many important articles
has seen relatively lower in domestic
than in foreign markets" 1t has been,
then, fairly profitable year for the man
ufacturer and retailer, but an unfortunate
one for the importer and speculator.
Mr.. Robbins, when he treats of chin
chona bark and its manufactured pro
ducts, presents many novel facts in re-
gard to them. With the close Of 1881
we imported 81 200 bales of chiachona
bark, which was 100 bales less than in
1850. In 1879 the receipts were A., zoo
bales. While we have retrograded in
our receipts, English imports OF bark
have increased. In 1881 it was ll5 36C
bales, more than three times as much as
it was in 1877. The largest increase il
bark received in London has been from
Colombia and New Grenada, the aug
mentation alone being more by 1902,
bales than the total shipment of bark t.
this country during the same year
"When our geographical position ant
close relationship with the United States
of Colombia are considered" writes Mr.
Robbins, "it must be seen that there i,
some serious defects in existing arrange
ments, or the London market could moi
claim this enormous increase of ship
ment, while the receipts Of our own mar
ket grew less"
As to the price Of quinine at the begin.
ming Of 1881, both bark and the product
were high. Quinine was | shillings pei
ounce, and in February advanced to /.
shillings. In April the price of fine
grades OF bark receded, and in November
the lowest price was reached. In De
cember a speculative movement was in
siituted in London, and there was a
change in the bark market. Purchases ol
the best barks in New York were made
for London account, and the sulphate OF
quinine in the United States was also
taken The greater part of this bark and
this quinine are still held by the syndi-
cate alluded to. Those new finds OF bark
in the neighborhood of Buccaramanga
are also controlled by the same party. A
falling of in the rich barks of the East
Ind an varieties Mr.. Robbins also notices.
All this affecting qninine, in January
from 81 80 per ounce it reached So in
February. Itthen declined almost month
by month until Sl,90 was reached, when,
the speculative feeling having com
msnced, the price was driven up again
to $2.50, which was the closing figure for
December.
For the year ending in June, 1881, we
imported 40S,S5l ounces of quinine,
against il6.9oS the previous year. The
increase of consumption Of quinine has
been large. Mr.. Robbins believes that
very unfortunately the future of bark
and quinine will be under the control of
a monopoly. The London syndicate, he
states, controls three-.ourths of all the
bark in the London market, and as there
has been consolidation of the two larg-
est manufacturing establishments in Eu-
rope, who make one-half of the entire
qninine Of the world, prices can be made