the equally pernicious opposite extreme of absolute scepticism may be as rapidly reached. One of the penalties which the operation of natural laws imposes upon undue vigor and over-stimulated activity is that of hastening from one extreme to another, and of holding rarely, and but for a short time, that middle ground in whose genial soil truth and knowledge are best cultivated. BROOKLYN, June 1, 1864. NATURALIZATION OF CINCHONA ON THE EASTERN CONTINENT. SIR: The enlarged views which the American Medical Association has taken of questions pertaining to the medical sciences, and the comprehensiveness of its designation-implying that its field includes the whole western hemisphere-seem to justify an American medical traveller in soliciting the co-operation of the Association to extend the cultivation of the greatest gift of the New World to the Materia Medica-the Cinchona-tree. You are aware that the enormous drain upon the cinchona forests of New Granada, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, and the reckless system pursued by the Cascarilleros, have wellnigh exhausted the supply. Whole regions, formerly rich in bark, are now stripped. With a constantly increasing demand for the precious febrifuge, the sources of supply are rapidly diminishing. You are aware, also, that, at the instigation of the medical men of Holland, the government of the Netherlands undertook to acclimatize cinchona plants in Java, and that subsequently the British East India Company, appreciating the importance of the subject, instituted experiments on the Neilgherry Hills, in Southern India. While in that part of the world, recently, I found that these attempts to introduce American plants into the Orient had demonstrated the practicability of the enterprise, insomuch that we are encouraged to hope that, when the South American supply becomes exhausted, the eastern hemisphere will furnish us with the means of obtaining quinia. These European experiments are highly suggestive to the cultivators of medical science throughout America. Although the South American governments have hitherto failed to comply with the requests presented from time to time by scientific men to enact laws for the protection of cinchona trees, it is probable that they will ere long be induced, from economical conVOL. XV.-11 siderations, to legislate on the subject; yet it is desirable that the area of cinchona cultivation should be extended to the utmost, and, as there are new regions into which the plant might be successfully introduced, I beg to submit that the American Medical Association should call the attention of various American governments to the matter, particularly that of Hayti, the climate and soil of which seem admirably adapted to cinchona culture, and the government of which is now in the hands of enlightened men. If a representa. tion of the case were made to that government through its minister, Colonel Ernest Roumain (residing in New York), by a committee of the Association, showing that economic as well as cosmopolitan. humane considerations favor the experiment, there is every reason to believe that, coming from such a body, immediate steps would be taken to promote the object. Most truly, yours, To Professor JOSEPH M. SMITH, M. D. D. J. MACGOWAN. MARTINDALE BARRACKS, WASHINGTON, D. C., June 6, 1864. |