WINTER'S BARK, the bark of Drilmis Winteri (Linn.); called also Wintera ammudias (Murray and Wind.), the true Winter's Bark, or Magellanic Cinnamon, to distinguish it from the bark of Candla a/ba, or false Winter's Bark. As one of the names imports, this is obtained from a tree growing in South America, from Magalleten'e Straits up to Brazil. It is met with in cyliuders, rarely flat pieces (these last are termed cotypeostin), from one to two feet long, and from six lines to two or three inches in diameter. It is generally freed from the outer rind (which is ta,teleas and without aroma), and is of a yellowish-red colour, with reddish-brown points, the marks where the leaves and young branches have been. The inner surface is tolerably smooth, more or less clear, of a reddish-brown colour, which serves to distin guish it from the bark (a Canella aiba, which is much paler. The taste is aromatic, /sharp, burning, and peppery. The smell, when first broken. is asmeable, resembling a mixture of cloves, cinnamon, pepper, and marjoram.
According to Henry, its chemical composition is resin, volatile oil, colouring matter, tannin, acetate of potass, chloride of potassium, sub plutto of potash, oxalate of lime, and oxide of iron. The volatile oil is
pale 7ellow, lighter than water, with a very hot and acrid Grate. By standing, it separates into two parts : one, the most abundant, a greenish-yellow liquid ; the other (heavier, but lighter than water), white, and of a fatty consistence. The volatile oil of Canelk is heavier than water : this serves to distinguish them, as well as re-agents, showing in the true Winter's Bark the presence of both tannin and iron, which are wanting in the Candle.
Winter's Bark is an aromatic stimulant and tonic, of a very valuable kind, end it is to be regretted that its 'use has been almost entirely superseded by the false Winter's Bark (Candi ?). Dr. C. F. von Martins says : "This hark deserves the first place among the aromatic, tonics of this country—that is, Brazil." When no inflammatory state of the stomach contraindicates its use, in debility of the digestive organs, with loss of appetite. or slow digestion, it Is a valuable remedy.,