Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-05-24
oulNINE A cuRs-A,,
Where Cinchona Bark Is obta,n.a
How 1t Is Marketed ane

""o N'no"o"H Dark Is Obtained -.
How 1t Is Marketed. "e
OF the thousands who say ou,n,.
good for every thing" few are
that its introduction into the pbarr.."
pGia is of comparatively recent ~
Quinine is one of the most CONNIE
homeopathic drugs and is used 4. ~
ailments. 1t is an alkaloid obts;..
from the cinchona bark, whose ~
derful properties as a tonic bao.N ~
known about 1851 At that tima y
Countess of Cinchon, Vice-Queen ],
Peru, was very i'll with linrerin, y
YER, and the best medical men Of So
America were in attendance and had l,
most despaired of the Countess rao.-
cry. One day washerwoman aunas,.s
1t the palace gate and gave the Conn.,
sss' maid bark which she directaa :
be given to her mistress The Coun,.'s
rallied. and in short time recoyeras
The strange bark was then called cinoS.
ona bark, whose praises the vice-ouss.
was always singing.
Quinine came into general use in r.
rope about the close of the seventeanA
century, and for about one hund,sS
years the Europeans were depenasrs
upon few South American States n,
their supply, which was very meager !,
Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, which Wars
the chief producers, were continuall,
wrangling with each other. Thai,
squabbles prevented the natives raths,.
ing cinchona bark, and often in fav
weeks the price of quinine would fuctn.
ate several dollars pound. These nat.
ty states monopolized the trade in n.
severest manner, and the poor bark.
gatherers were compelled to sell thai,
stuff for whatever the government chOs.
to give, and at present the South Amer
lean States levy duty on all the bark
exported.
The Europeans soon became tired 0,
this way of securing their supply and
the Dutch were the first, after years Of
experimenting, to succeed in breaking
the South American monopoly. Thsy
found that the tree would grow in The
East Indies. The English Government
jealous Of their rivals success, sent o.,
numerous expeditions to investigate tho
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 fiourished where
they had been transplanted the Dutch
encountered other obstacles. Il was
found that the bark of the same species
of trees was of very irregular quality,
and although it all looked alike it often
required chemical analysis to ascertain
it's value. Some barks 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 Dales
SO named can be relied upon. 1t is
claimed that there is great deal Of
trickery used in the trade, as inferior OF
worthless banks are sometimes skillfully
mixed with good banks, and the differ
ence 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 thu
normal price.
Quinine is generally taken in two
grain capsules or in a 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 45,OOO,O0
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