1002

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

cer-

indeed of other agents of the same class, are then only observe 1tain morbid conditions. . (tfe'tl-

“ The general operation of cinchona bark” observes Sundehn \ ^mittell. ii. 307, 3 tte Aufl.) “ consists in the increase and exaltation ^tone of the irritable fibres and of the fibres of the vessels (hence by ithe pulse becomes fuller, stronger, and regular, and the muscm* 1 * 1 ^increased) ; also in the general augmentation of the cohesion ./ •„

organic mass (hence it counteracts a-tendency to liquefaction L» e •gung ] and disintegration [Entmischung~\, diminishes profuse p,e

which proceed from atony of the extremities of the vessels, arl( . aI) J,secerning surfaces and organs, and improves generally the crasis; ^lastly, in the augmentation of the vital energy of the sensible s m g(By the last mentioned property it restores sensibility, when de _ iJgor abnonnally increased, and the property of reaction of the n nlsystem, to their normal state, and augments the influence ol this s '^ ctson the muscular fibre and on the reproductive system).” As these ^ ellare not produced until the active constituents of the bark ha'c ^ 0 fabsorbed, they take place gradually, and by the long continued i -this agent. ^ 0 p-

The power possessed by cinchona of suspending or compl ete ^yeping periodical diseases deserves to be noticed here, though it " ^ y

to be again referred to hereafter. It is doubtless in some way rt ' la - 0ll sthe before mentioned effects ; but the connection is, as yet, uiy stand incomprehensible. i 0 jjs

Active principles of the cinchona barks. —The cinchona ay ^ t j l6

nedy

are the essential tonic principles of bark. In them also reside®antiperiodic (specific , as it is frequently termed) power of this re te s(see p. 1006). The tannic acid confers astringent powers, and p r ° (1 .the tonic operation of the alkaloids, which depend on the alkaloids P^ a jliar to it. The red cinchonic must also slightly contribute to the j )t ,effects of the bark. The kinate of lime fsupposed by Deschamp® r .

the active principle of cinchona) is probably inert: it has neither r

ness nor stypticity, and is insoluble in alcohol. The aromatic udepends on volatile oil. dmd s

Comparison of cinchona with other tonics. —Cinchona scarcely a ^of comparison with any other vegetable substance. It is pre-eim^.^distinguished by its great tonic and almost specific febrifuge P l0 ' aSl fia,It is farther distinguished from the simple bitters (as gentian, Q. f n tssimaruba, calumba, &c.) by its astringency; from the pure astri y .(as oak bark, nutgalls, catechu, kino, &c.) by its extreme bittefrom the aromatic bitters (as cascarilla, chamomile, wormwood, e ] 0 ji,pane, &c.) by its astringency and comparative deficiency in vokd 1 j. gjand, consequently, in stimulant properties. Willow and angustura j eperhaps, more closely approximate to cinchona than other veg e , gjsubstances in ordinary use. In regard to antiperiodic or febrifuge p°arsenious acid is the only remedy that can be compared with bark- j gtComparison of the cinchona barks with each other. —I need not \ ^on the superiority of genuine over false cinchona barks. The mm

ba,rk s ’

of those barks which have a whitish epidermis (as the Carthagena . j gsee p. 989 et seq.) is shown by the small quantity of cinchona alka twhich they yield. The anecdote before mentioned (p. 991) P r0V Tq ie se-the Spaniards had long since ascertained the inferiority of one oi