Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-06-03
o,j,NlNE A cuRE-ALL.


xphere Cinchona Bark Is Obtained ana
How 1t IL Marketed.
OF the thousands who say quinine Is
..good for every thing" few are aware
that it's introd uction into tho pharmaco-
paaia is of mparatively recent date.
0nfnine Is one of the most common OF
homeopathic drugs and is used FOR all
ailments 1t is an alkalotd obtained
from the cinchona bark, whose Won
dorful properties as tonic became
known about 1851 At that time the
Countess of Cinchon, Vice-Queen OF
Peru, was very i'll with lingering fe-
yer. and the best medical men OF South
America were in attendance aud mad al
most despaired of the Countess reeoV-
cry. One day washerwoman appeared
1t the palace gate and gave the Count
ass maid bark which she directed TO
he piyen to her mistress. The Countess
rallied and in a short time recovered.
The strange bark was then called clnch-
ona bark, whose praises the Vice-Queen
was always singing.
Ouinine came into general use In Eu-
rope about the close of the seventeenth
century, and for about one hundred
upon a few South American States for
their supply, which was very meager, as
Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, which were
the chief producers, were continually
wrangling with each other. Their
souabhles prevented the natives gather
inc cinchona bark, and often in a few
weeks the price of quinine would ffuctu-
ate several dollars pound. These pet
ty states monopolized the trade in the
severest manner, and the poor bark
gatherers were compelled to sell their
stuff for whatever the government chose
to give, and at present the South Amer
lean States levy duty on all the bark
exported.
The Europeans soon became tired OF
this way of securing their supply and
the Dutch we're the first, after years OF
experimenting, to succeed in breaking
the South American monopoly. They
found that the tree would grow in the
East Indies. The English Government,
Jealous of their rivals success, sent out
numerous expeditions to investigate the
whole subject and see whether or not
the trees could be transplanted, and this
was successfully done after many trials
in northern India.
Although the trees ffourished where
they had been transplanted the Dutch
| encountered other obstacles. 1t was
| found that the bark of the same species
| of trees was of very irregular quality,
aud although it all looked alike it often
| required chemical analysis to ascertain
| its value. Some banks yield as high as
thirteen per cent. alkaloids, upon which
| the value of cinchona depends.
| The season for gathering the bark be-
| gins in August and lasts till October or
| November, according to the weather.
After it is stripped from the tree it has
| to be thoroughly dried and then packed
in ceroons of moistened cowhide or in
| bales of heavy sacking. Most Of these
are branded with trademarks Some of
| these have attained considerable repu-
tation, and any bark in the bales
50 named can be relied upon. 1t is
| claimed that there is great deal Of
| tricllery used in the trade, as inferior or
| worthless barlts are sometimes skillfully
mixed with good banks, and the differ
enoe is so slight that all the imports are
analysed before they are accepted
During the prevalence of la grippe in
this city the supply of quinine became
/ practically exhausted. Most of the
stock was held by large retail drug
gist, who sold all he had for double the
normal price.
Quinine is generally taken in two
/ grain capsules or in powder with
water or whisky. The first way is peter
able, as it does away with any disagree
! able taste.
The annual consumption of quinine in
the United States is about Il, 200, o00
/ grains, and the trade here and abroad is
almost entirely in the hands of monop-
oily, whose great factory is located in
Mannheim Germany.-Chicago Times.