Med. Also 7 kinkina, 8 kinquina. See also QUINAQUINA. [Sp. spelling of Peruvian (Quichuan) kinkina or kina-kina, redupl. of kina bark, QUINA.
‘In Quichua, when the name of a plant is reduplicated, it almost invariably implies that it possesses some medicinal qualities.’ C. R. Markham, Peruv. Bark (1880), 5, note.]
a. Peruvian or Jesuits’ bark; the bark of several species of cinchona, yielding quinine and other febrifugal alkaloids. b. One or other of the trees producing cinchona-bark.
1656. Sir K. Digby, Lett., in Winthrop Papers (1849), 15. I haue made knowne … in these partes, a barke of a tree that infallibly cureth all intermittent feauours. It cometh from Peru; and is the barke of a tree called by the Spaniardes Kinkina.
1681. (title) trans. Bellon’s A New Mystery in Physick discovered By curing of Fevers & Agues by Quinquina or Jesuites Powder.
1755. Gentl. Mag., XXV. 406. Physicians, who … prescribe the bark of the Quinquina.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, I. v. He cured him of an ague with quinquina.
1871. W. H. G. Kingston, On the banks of the Amazon (1876), 101. Since its use became general in Europe, the export trade of the quinquina has been very considerable.
attrib. 1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The corregidor of Loxa sent to the viceroy a quantity of the quinquina bark.
1880. C. R. Markham, Peruv. Bark, 17. The first description of the quinquina-tree is due to that memorable French expedition to South America.
