Marie Haskel, age 13, of McAllen, Tex., for his question:

WHERE DO WE GET QUININE?

Quinine is a chemical drug that comes from the bark of the cinchona tree. The tree is a native of Latin America. Quinine is now used in the cure of malaria.

According to legend, the healing qualities of the bark of the cinchona tree were first discovered by an Indian of Loja, Peru. He told his discovery to the Jesuit priests nearby around 1600. The Indians called the bark quina quina, which means "bark with healing powers." Quinine, obtained from the powdered bark, was introduced into modern medicine in 1816.

Quinine is used to reduce fever, prevent the destruction of the blood's red corpuscles and to check the growth of malaria germs. In malaria districts, small doses of quinine are also taken as a preventative of the disease.

Quinine is also used as a nerve stimulant and a general tonic by some doctors. It is often found in some cold tablets where it is of little value. Quinidine, a quinine derivative, is used in the treatment of some heart irregularities.

In 1852, the Dutch took seeds of cinchona trees to Java in the East Indies where they began to raise them. Today, Java is the largest producer in the world, supplying more than 90 percent of the amount used yearly.