Matthew James Crawford. The Andean Wonder Drug

The Andean Wonder Drug: Cinchona Bark and Imperial Science in the Spanish Atlantic, 1630–1800 is a welcome addition to the literature on quina, the bark from the cinchona tree. Quina is the natural source of quinine, an invaluable drug used to reduce fevers, especially those associated with malaria. Matthew James Crawford’s work adds substantially to the epistemic location of quina within the Atlantic world by describing the tortured efforts of Bourbon officials to acquire both scientific knowledge and commercial gains from the drug. Crawford divides The Andean Wonder Drug into two parts: “Andean, Atlantic, and Imperial Networks of Knowledge” and “The Rule of the Local and the Rise of the Botanists.” The first part locates quina within the Andean world, as a highly sought-after product, and explains the belatedly late recognition by imperial authorities of its commercial benefit to the Spanish Empire. Part II, perhaps the heart of the work, examines Bourbon efforts to “know” about and to profit from quina. These began in 1751 with the establishment of a “royal reserve” in Loja, Ecuador, as a source of quina for the Royal Pharmacy. Four chapters analyze the development of the preserve, the role of botanists in creating knowledge about the cinchona tree, and the ensuing debate between pharmacists and botanists to define knowledge about quina. The author masterfully “personalizes” the analytical narrative of each chapter by providing accounts of key actors from archival sources.

Archaeology · Empire · Epistemology · Ethnology · Genealogy · Wonder · Diverse Historical and Scientific Studies · Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis · History · History of Science and Medicine · Philosophy

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