The Cascarilla Tree.
Cascarilla.
A TREE of South America, of the fruits and flowers of which we have but very imperfect accounts, though we are very well acquainted with the bark of its young branches. What we have been told of it is, that the branches are numerous, and spread irregularly; that the leaves are oblong, green on the upper side, and whitish underneath; and the flowers small, fragrant, and placed in a sort of clusters.
The bark which our druggists sell, is greyish on the outside, brown within, and is of an agreeable smell: when burnt they call it Eleutherian bark, and bastard jesuit's bark: it is cordial and astringent. It is very properly given in fevers attended with purging. And many have a custom of smoking it among tobacco, as a remedy for head-achs, and disorders of the nerves: it also does good in pleurisies and peripneumonies: some have recommended it as a sovereign remedy in those cases, but that goes too far.
