A description of the genus Cinchona, comprehending the various species of vegetables from which the Peruvian and other barks of a similar quality are taken. Illustrated by figures of all the species hitherto discovered. To which is prefixed Professor Vahl's dissertation on this genus, read before the Society of natural history at Copenhagen. Also a description, accompanied by figures, of a new genus named Hyænanche: or hyæna poison.

  • Lambert, Aylmer Bourke, 1761-1842.
Date:
1797
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A description of the genus Cinchona, comprehending the various species of vegetables from which the Peruvian and other barks of a similar quality are taken. Illustrated by figures of all the species hitherto discovered. To which is prefixed Professor Vahl's dissertation on this genus, read before the Society of natural history at Copenhagen. Also a description, accompanied by figures, of a new genus named Hyænanche: or hyæna poison. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    21/96 (page 5)
    y t 5 ] the clafs or family to which they ought to be referred, and with refpedt to fome we are entirely ignorant. Much light, however, has of late years been thrown on this fubjedt, and we have learnt to a certainty the plants from which various medicines are procured ; having infallible marks or characters by which to diltinguifh their affinities : our experience therefore will not be loft to pofterity as that of the ancients has been to us, but will remain as long as the plants themfelves. No one will deny that the knowledge of plants, grounded on their effential parts, which are con- ftant and obvious, is the fureft method of preferving the knowledge of their qualities, when once difcovered, from perifhing, as well as of determining any doubts or dis- putes relative to that point. The fight is unqueftionably lefs liable to uncertainty than the fmell and tafte, which are capable of being perverted by feveral accidents in fuch a manner as to give uncertain indications ; and how many plants are there, which, though fimilar in fmell and talfe, are yet very different in their effeCts ! To this may be added the impoflibility of explaining by words thefe fenfations to others : it is furely far eafier to inform people through the medium of fight. It may ftill be objedted, perhaps, that colour, a particular afforded by our fight, is ftill an uncertain character, and is known to vary. Had we no other characters but the internal ones by which we might communicate to pofterity the knowledge of thofe remedies from which we have re- ceived fo much advantage, they would become both uncertain, and in a little time as unprofitable to them' as.