The virtues of the genus Cinchona are fo well defcribed
in Dr. Woodville’s excellent publication, intitled Medical
Botany, that we have taken the liberty to copy the Doctor’s
account with fcarce any material alteration. It is
as follows, viz.
WE feem to have no fatisfadlory account at what time,
or by what means, the medicinal efficacy of the Peruvian
Bark, which is now fo well eftabliffied, was foil djf-
covered. Some contend that its ufe in intermittent fevers
was known to the Americans long before the Spaniards
poffefled Peru, but that they concealed this knowledge
from the Europeans ; and, on the contrary, it is aflerted
by others, that the Peruvians never fuppofed it to be fit
for any medicinal ufe, but thought that the large quantities
exported thence were for the purpofe of dyeing, and
they actually made fome trials of its effects in this way *.
Condamine fays, that according to an ancient tradition,
the Americans owe the difcovery of this remedy, to the
lions, which fome naturalifts pretend are fubjedt to a
kind of intermitting fever, of which they were obferved
to be cured by inffindtively eating the Bark of the Cinchona.
But Geoffroy dates, that the ufe of the Bark was
firft learned from the following circumftance :— Some
Cinchona trees being thrown by the winds into a pool of
water, lay there till the water became fo bitter that every
body refufed to drink it. However, one of the neighbour-
• Ulloa, Voyage de l*Amerique meridionale, t. i. p. 271.
ing