QUASSIA

Tlie wood of the Qua ia exccha, or amaru; a native of South America, and some of the West Indian Islands. It yields an intensely bitter infusion, which may be made with one drachm of the shavings of qua ia to a pint of boiling water: of this a wine-gla -full maybe taken twice a day, with or without other additions, as a tonic. It is a good vehicle for most of the metallic salts, which are not decomposed by it, as by many other bitter vegetable infusions. A strong infusion of qua ia, sweetened with brown sugar, is a safe and effective poison for flies. [s. 1021]