The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-04
OUININE FAMINE THREATENED

IL the European war continues
much longer. where are the people OF
the United States to get their usual
supply of quinine? AT the breaking
out OF the war sulphate of quinine was
selling at about 30 cents an ounce
wholesale A year ago 1t sold for 40
cents. today 1t Is selling for $50 an
ounce. When 1t In stated that during
the fiscal year ending june 80. tsI4,
tho last normal year prior to the war,
the United States imported nearly 81
100000 ounces. OF sulphate Of quinine.
then valued at about s850.0Qo, and
over 3.s4S,0gD pounds of chinchona
bark valued at $4s4, 900, 1t may DO
seen what such difference In price
may mean to the country.
How In tho European war RESPONSE
BILE? Simply because Great Britain
controls the ehinchona+ bark industry
In her possessions OF rndfa. Geylon.
and Jamaica, and Holland the product
of Java and these are the sections
OF the world which have been furnish
Ing practically its supply OF quinine. IN
the form of chinchona bark, for the
last thirty or thirty-five years. Great
Britain is carefully outstanding tho
supply of this precious specific for
the use of her armies and those OF
her allies, while the Dutch must be
depended upon to supply those OF the
central powers. Armies In the neld
need a vastly larger supply OF quintne
than would the same number OF men
In ordinary occupations: hence Quf-
nine famine for the rest OF the world.
If the war continues, not only Will the
price continue to rise. but the serious
question will he. where are We 70 get
1t at all /.
Time was when certain countries OF
South America, where the chtnchons
trees originated. supplied the world,
and the story of Quinine and how II
was introduced into Europe - enter
tainingly~ told by Edward Albes IN the
current number Of the Bulletin OF the
Pan-American Union, Washington, ID.
c.. somewhat as follows:
aOnce upon time--27S years ago.
TO be more exact--in her viceroyal
castle ia Lima, Peru, lady lay III
ar a fever. She was the Countess
Ana wife OF the fourth Count OF
Chinehon who at the time was vtceroy
Of Peru. News OF the lady's Illness
having reached one Don Juan Lopez
de Cannizares, the Spanish Corregf-
dor OF Ioxa. who dwelt some zeV
miles south of Quito, in what Is now
the Republic of Ecuador. he des-
matched a parcel OF certain kind OF
powdered bark tc her physician. Juan
de Vega with the assurances that ~
was a sovereign remedy and never
falling specific in cases OF intertnl.-
tsrt fever. He knew this TO be true
from both experience and observation,
FOR about eight years prior TO TINS
event he had suffered from q severe
attack of fever and had been cured by
an old Indian of Malacotas who nad
thus revealed the remarkable pro-
nerties of this bark. Since then ne
had observed its effects N many other
cases. SO he knew whereof ne SPOKE.
The remedy was tried. and the coun-
tess was cured The name given ny
the abnrigines to the tree on wnicn
grew this wonderful bark was duiha-
quina.S
.In 1sao the Count OF chinchon re-
turned to Spain with his wife. Sno
took with her quantity of the heal
ing bark. and thus was the first per-
son to introduce It into Europe. Sub
seouently some OF the Jesuit mission
aries In Brazil sent parcels Of tho
powdered bark to Rome, whence r.
was distributed by the Cardinal de
Lugo to other members OF the nn-
ternity throughout Europe. II was
therefore often called "Jesufts' BARK
and sometimes Cardinals Bark
SOm&IHiHk oFci y iuhni ~ 80 Y - -
the Countess OF Chinchon had intro
duced 1t into Spain. Linnaeus. the
great Swedish botanist. in making his
remarkable classification of AL known
trees and plants. to commemorate the
service rendered to mankind by that
lady. named the genus which Yields
the bark chinrbona. and subseuueilt-
w still further i,nmortalixed the name
by giving II 10 the treat family OF
tnees and plants now known AZ the
fshinchonaeear which includes not