[sci.environment] Quinine

vida@bu-geo.tmc.edu (Vida Jakabhazy) (01/03/91)

Occasionally, I will purchase tonic water and now that I'm married, hubby
drinks lots.  I've always known that it contains quinine which is used to
cure malaria, however, I never knew where it came from.  Flipped open the
handy-dandy dictionary and found:

n: a bitter white salt obtained from cinochona bark and used esp. in
treating malaria

I asked the next best source of info where cinochona(i) are found.  My
husband thinks that it is a south american tree.  If it is, does this mean
that I'm assisting in the destruction of tropical forests?  I mean, removing
bark from a tree is a real effective way of killing it.  

If anyone knows more about it, please post.

Thanks very much,

Vida Jakabhazy
vida@bu-geo.bu.edu