An Account of the True Cortex Winteranus, and the Tree That Hears It. By Hans Sloan, M. D. and S. R. S.

V. An Account of the true Cortex Winteranus, and the Tree that bears it. By Hans Sloan, M.D. and S.R.S. One of the ships which went out with Sir Francis Drake, when he went round the World, whereof Captain Winter was Commander, brought into England from the Straits of Magellan an Aromatic Bark, which had been very helpful to those of his Ship, both used instead of other Spices, with their Meat, and as a Medicine very powerful against the Scurvy. Clusius, from some that came over in that Ship, describes and figures it in his Exotics, lib. 4. c. i. p. 75. calling it, Cortex Winteranus, from the Commander of the Ship his Name, and the Tree Magellanica Aromatica Arbor, ib. p. 77. The Writer of the Journal of the Dutch Ships, that went to the Straits of Magellan about 1599. takes notice of it to grow there, calling it (De Bry. Ind. Occid. p. 9. p. 18.) Lauro similis arbor licet procerior, Cortice piperis modo acri, & mordenti. And Sebald de Wert, who was there, says, that both Leaves and Bark were used with their Meat and Muskles, to correct them in so cold a Climate. Dalechampius, in the Historia Lugd. describes and figures this Bark likewise, under the Name of Cortex Winteranus, p. 1858. and so does Parkinson, p. 1652. Caspar Bauhin, in his Pin. p. 461. calls it Laurifolia Magellanica Cortice acri. And Jonston, in his Dendrologia, p. 232. Arbor Laurifolia Magellanica. Those likewise who passed the Magellanic Straits with Sir John Narborough about 1669. took notice of this Tree and Bark. But no body that I have seen has given so good or full an Account of it as Mr. George Handifyd, who came from thence about two or three Years Years since, and being very Curious and Understanding in these Matters, did bring with him a Specimen or Sample of its Leaves and Flowers on the Twig, which is figur'd No. 1. and its Seed, figured No. 2. and likewise told me the several Particulars relating to it, in the following Description, by which I cannot reduce it to any of our kind of Plants, so well as to the Periclymenum, and therefore shall call it, tho' it differs in many things from the Honeysuckle, Periclymenum rectum foliis laurinis Cortice acri Aromatico. He assured me that this Tree rose to be higher and larger than an Apple-Tree, spreading very much both in Root and Branches. The Twigs had on them Leaves of a light-green colour on their upper side, standing on ½ Inch-long foot-stalks, are an Inch and half long, and an Inch broad in the middle where broadest, and whence they decrease to both ends, ending blunt. The Flowers come ex alis foliorum, standing on ½ Inch-long foot-stalks, two, three, or more of them together, something like those of the Periclymenum; each of them are Milk-white, Pentapetalous, and smell like Jasmine, to which succeeds an Oval Berry, made up of two, three, or more Acins or little Berries, standing together on the same common foot-stalk, of a light-green colour with some black spots; and in these Berries are contained several black Aromatic Seeds, something like the stones in Grapes. It grows in the middle of the Straits of Magellan very plentifully. The Leaves of this Tree were used with other Herbs by Mr. Handifyd for Fomentations in several cases with very good success: But he admired most the use of the Bark inwardly, boiling half a Dram of it with some Carminative Seeds, and giving it so to those of the Ship who were under his Care, very much afflicted with the the Scurvy: It usually sweated them, and they were very much relieved. The same Medicine likewise he administered to a great many of the Ship, who were very ill by eating a poisonous sort of Seal in those Parts, called a Sea-Lion, with which they had a very great Amendment, although they had been so ill with feeding on this Creature, as to loose most of their skins, which peeled off their Bodies by degrees, and in large pieces; so that the Antidote to this strange Poison was to be had very near it, and was very much extolled by this Gentleman, who was put to a stand to know what to do in this strange case, although he very well understood the Materia Medica. By the preceding Description, and Figures relating to it, compared with those of No. 192. of these Translations, it will very easily appear, that the Cortex Winteranus, commonly sold in the Shops, is not the True Cortex Winteranus. But I must needs say, tho' they are the Barks of two very differing Trees, and growing in very differing places, and appear quite another thing in their outward face, yet their taste is much the same, and I believe they may be used as a Succedaneum one for another, tho' if the true were to be had in plenty, it were much to be valued beyond the false, being much more Aromatic. VI. Pharma-