that of His Catholic Majesty, in order that, according to the indication of your excellency's government, the exchange may be confirmed by duplicate. The undersigned is happy to renew to his excellency Señor Wing, &e., &c. FRANCISCO JAVIER LEON. His Excellency MINISTER RESIDENT of the United States of America. No. 3. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the duplicate of the ratification by the Ecuadorian government of the articles of armistice agreed upon in Washington between the representatives of the allied republics of the Pacific and of Spain. I will forthwith transmit that duplicate to his excellency the Secretary of State, in Washington, who will make the requisite disposition of it. Renewing the assurances of my very distinguished consideration, I have the honor to remain, &c., Quito, Ecuador, August 26, 1871. (Received October 2.) SIR: Observing that a very general interest has been evinced throughout the United States concerning the "cundurango," I have deemed it proper to forward a few facts relative thereto, in addition to the statements contained in my dispatches 54 and 61. I have been literally overwhelmed with letters on the subject from all parts of America and several of the countries of Europe, containing all sorts of inquiries, requests, suggestions, propositions, and demands. I have endeavored to answer such of these letters as in my judgment deserved it, courteously and explicitly, but unfortunately my medical attainments have not permitted me to reply to all the intricate interrogatives upon the subject of pharmacy, surgery, botany, chemistry, materia medica, therapeutics, &c., &c., that have been propounded to me. Nor, on the other hand, have I felt financially justified in sending "just a small box of the wood" to the numerous applicants who have made such requests. From matters that have come to my knowledge I trust that there will soon be an ample supply of the drug in the United States. Despite the adverse opinions that I hear have been rendered against it in some medical quarters in North America, I am still not disposed to surrender my faith in its remarkable curative properties. Of course, I am not prepared to enter upon any theoretical or scientific analysis thereof, but I cannot shut my eyes to the practical results of its use not only in this country, but in eminent and responsible quarters in the States, two at least of which must be within the knowledge of the Department. From the facts originally reported to me, I first felt it a matter of official duty and of real humanity to call attention to the "cundurango.” I believe that it is always best to risk the chance of failure, rather than to neglect to test an experiment which may result in infinite good. I am now awaiting the effect in three notable cases, which will be ultimately reported to the Department. The American consul at Guayaquil will soon be able to forward to the Department various facts in regard to the wood, as he is now giving it close and careful attention and investigation. A medical gentleman from Washington, who came to Ecuador with high credentials, also reports very favorably concerning it. President Moreno conceived it of sufficient importance to advert to it in his message of August 10 to the Ecuadorian Congress. If I may place credence in the opinions of medical men here, who have had the advantages of fine training and much practice, it has also proven very beneficial as well in neuralgic and rheumatic affections as in those set forth in my original communication. It must be a powerful nervous stimulant, and in due season may become of use in the treatment of the spinal, cerebral, and paralytic diseases to which our people seem so singularly liable. It certainly has eradicated in more than one instance what was called cancer. Further exploration has evinced the existence of several classes of the plant or vine, generally known as "cundurango" among the natives, which vary very much in their effects upon disease. Hence the correspondence hereto appended (copy and translation 1 and 2) may be essential to purchasers and consumers. Doubtless there is danger that ignorant or reckless speculators may foist an inferior or worthless article upon the markets; and that the genuine and efficacious species may not everywhere receive a thorough and proper trial. Hence much care should be exercised until the best quality has become well known to drug dealers and the medical fraternity. The publication of an accurate chemical analysis and physical and fibrous description of the wood sent to the Department some months ago would be valuable in this connection. No export tax has as yet been imposed upon the article by this gov ernment, but I learn that such an one will soon be levied. Several parties are already engaging largely in its exportation, and, judging from appearances, there will soon be many more in the same traffic. Since this drug was first called to my attention, several local remedies used here in the treatment of certain other obstinate diseases have been mentioned to me. I prefer, however, not to enter into any statement relative to them until I am more fully convinced of their utility. I have, &c., No. 2. RUMSEY WING. REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR, WAR OFFICE, By order of his excellency the President of the republic, and for the consequent ends, I have the honor to remit the original of the dispatch sent to the commanding general of the district by the inspector of the military hospital. To the SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. S. DARGUEA. REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR, MILITARY HOSPITAL, " SIR: In the month of May, of last year, I received a few pounds of “ cundurango through the authorities, to experiment with. For fourteen months I have been assaying the properties of this new vegetable, not only in the establishment under my charge, but also in private practice, and I am happy to communicate to your excellency that this plant will do in a very short time better service than the quinine that is extracted from the woods of the favored province of Loja. I commenced my experiments with various internal complaints, obtaining admirable results in several cases of rheumatism, neuralgia, and otalgia, as also in a case of eczema, after having employed all the other means advised without any good results. In the cancer, before and after the ulceration, the "cundurango" is the most powerful agent, and can be qualified as the specific for this horrible scourge. On one of the most notable persons of the country, whom I treated during the fearful duration of a cancer of the tongue that had destroyed more than half of this organ, prescribing this plant under different forms and combinations, I have obtained a splendid triumph," the complete disappearance of the cancer," together with the conjunction of diathesis and swellings that made a deformity of all the base of the jawbone and neck, but had the misfortune to lose the patient in consequence of a sudden relapse of disease that had troubled him for several years; an access of asthma which gave rise to asphyxia that carried him off in an hour during the convalescency of a fever that he had contracted some time after having made “a radical cure of the cancer." At present I have under my charge a lady very well known, who had a cancer upon the left breast which has been reproduced in two points of the enormous sear, and haying been recommended by various persons to undergo a new operation, preferred my care, and I obtained what will be in fifteen days a complete cure. Two cases more I have to refer to, in which if I have not obtained entire success, it has been on account of special circumstances of the patients, but in them I have proved the sure and efficacious action of the "cundurango." Later I will give a more detailed report of the action of the "cundurango" and of its results, with documentary proof that will convince all, even to the most incredulous. I regret, however, that my field of observation is so reduced. It is just that the sons of the country profit by these providential discoveries, and that in honor of the nation to take part, without expecting everything from abroad. Now the exportation commences with furore, hotly disputing the speculations, causing fraud to intervene, as they export portions of the vine, sell it at high prices without its being the true cundurango. I hope that soon the genius of our chief magistrate will take the necessary measures to avoid these consecutive evils to the advantage of the country, and so that this splendid discovery will not suffer the attacks to which the scandalous falsifications of several speculators will give rise. To the GENERAL commanding the district. H. CHIRIBOGA. REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR, WAR OFFICE, By order of his excellency the president of the republic, the original of the dispatch of the inspector of the military hospitals of that place was remitted to the war office, for the consequent ends to which it may give rise relative to the effect produced by the vegetable "cundurango," accompanying your esteemed communication No. 12. To the COMMANDING GENERAL of the district of Guayaquil. S. DARGUEA. No. 143.] No. 82. E. R. Wing to Mr. Fish. UNITED STATES LEGATION, Quito, Ecuador, September 14, 1871. (Received October 14.) SIR: In addition to the inclosure in my dispatch 137, I herewith forward two articles taken from a Guayaquil paper concerning the cundu rango. No. 1 is a letter by a pharmacist of Guayaquil, of whose personal skill and aptitude I know nothing, but I inclose it nevertheless. No. 2 is a communication from the surgeon-in-chief of the government hospital, who is reputed to be a gentleman of decided ability in his profession. I particularly commend this last inclosure to perusal, as it contains matter relative to the exportation and sale of the cundurango, which had occurred to me as possible heretofore, (see my dispatch No. 137,) and which should render purchasers, if these statements are not erroneous, exceedingly careful in securing the article. Having called attention to it because I believed it to be my duty to do so, I have no interest in the matter beyond that of seeing it patiently and fully tested. But that I do most earnestly wish to see, and such a test cannot, of course, be made, unless the real cundurango is obtained. I learn that it exists in large quantities throughout Southern Ecuador, and there is no reason why purchasers need permit themselves to be deceived by a spurious article, if any such should at any time unfortunately reach the American markets. I do not forward a translation of Dr. Chiriboga's communication, as, owing to the medical terms used, and the variety of tests suggested therein, I would prefer that the translator of the Department should make it for the sake of absolute certainty and accuracy. Allow me to suggest that it be made public at once. I have, &c., RUMSEY WING. No. 83. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND THE LEGATION OF ECUADOR IN WASHINGTON. Mr. Flores to Mr. Fish. [Translation.] WASHINGTON, March 14, 1871. MR. MINISTER: I have received from my government, in order to offer it to you, a vegetable called "cundurango," which is produced in the province of Loja, Ecuador, and to which great medicinal qualities are attributed, as you will see by the annexed extracts, copied from No. 425 of the official journal of Ecuador. In case your excellency may think proper to accept this little offering, I take the liberty of inclosing the bill of lading of the box which contains it, to the end that you may be pleased, if you see fit, to return it to me with the necessary order for the custom-house at New York, and to take such other measures as you may think proper. I have been specially directed by my government to communicate the result of the analysis and experiments which may be made. I will therefore thank your excellency to deign to afford me, as far as possible, the means of obeying this order. In the hope that your excellency will be pleased to give to this matter the attention which is demanded, not only by humanity and science, but by the mercantile interests of Ecuador and the United States of America, I have the honor to reiterate to your excellency the assurance of my very high and distinguished consideration, and to subscribe myself your excellency's very obedient servant, A. FLORES. [Translation.] Extracts from the reports of Doctor Casares, Eguiguren, &c., &c. QUITO, April 28, 1870. I am happy to reply to your excellency's esteemed communication of the 21st instant, in which you inform me that the supreme government has resolved to send fifty pounds of the "cundurango," in order that this vegetable may be analyzed by scientific societies of Paris and London, and I am ordered to make a circumstantial report of the therapeutic effects which I have obtained by its application in some diseases. * * About the month of September last, I commenced to administer this remedy to Bernabé M————————, who was suffering from a cancer, and the favorable result of this treatment, which was obtained in a few days, I thought proper to bring to the notice of the supreme government; but as the small quantity which I had obtained gave out, I was unable to continue the use of it. The domestic, Santos A— * of Mrs. Mercedes Larrea, has suffered a long time from a cancerous ulcer on the thigh of her right leg; she has always been attended by respectable physicians without any favorable result; she is now well, only two or three lines being wanted where it has healed up. Juan Bautista G- was suffering from a cancer in the lower lip; I removed it apparently entirely; four months afterward, however, the cancer reappeared, and, instead of resorting to a new operation, I applied the "cundurango," which caused it to disappear completely. Mr. D-, now priest of the parish of N, has long been a sufferer from a cancer above and below his left eye; he has been for a short time under the influence of this medicament, and the edges of ulcer have become depressed, the suppuration has changed its aspect, and the cancerous humor does not exist. The above are the cases of cancer which I have observed and subjected to the action of cundurango, and I have the satisfaction of being able to state that all the aforesaid patients are known in the country, and may be examined by any person desiring to do so. Passing to another case, I will state that it is a year since José A- - entered this hospital, suffering from intermittent fever and scrofulous ulcers in the breast. Constant and diligent care did nothing toward restoring his health, until I resolved to administer the cundurango to him together with arsenic, and his present condition is very encouraging. I will remark that the cancers which I treated with the cundurango were already in the form of fungus hæmatodes, and none in the state of rawness. The plan adopted in its use is as follows: First regulate the digestion and the biliary secretions in the best manner possible; surround the patient with pure air; take great care to secure cleanliness; give food which is easily digested; give him a cup of the decoction of cundurango in the morning, and another at night, until you observe that its action has caused debility; in which case I have replaced it sometimes by diuretics, together with tonics, and sometimes by diaphoretics and mild infusions of quinine. In cases of cancer I have made local applications of poultices, formed with the prepared shell of an egg and with water, alternating with some ointments promotive of suppuration, as was required by the state of the ulcer, after chloride lotions, slightly astringent. In syphilis, the internal method is entirely similar to the one above-mentioned; and locally I have only used sometimes aromatic wine, and at other times simple cerate, according to the state of irritation of the part. In case the result of the analysis of the cundurango be favorable, I think it proper for me to mention the fact that I have been assured that the kernel contained in the fruit of this vegetable kills dogs, just as strychnine does. Reminding the patient of this terrible circumstance, (the difficulty of saving his life,) I obliged him to take the remedy, which I alone possessed in Quito. After a few days, it produced so surprising an effect that Dr. Casares was astonished at the rapidity with |