Drimys winteri stamens. The fruit is a bluish berry. When Sir Francis Drake sailed round the world in 1577-80, of the four ships accompanying the "Golden Hind" at the outset, the only ship that successfully rounded Cape Horn with him was the "Elizabeth", captained by John Wynter; the two ships separated in a storm and Winter turned back. Presumably he had sickness on board, for he sent a boat ashore to search out medicinal herbs. He returned in 1579 with a supply of "Drimys" bark, and for centuries before vitamin C was isolated, "Winter's Bark" was esteemed as a preventive and remedy
Francis John Drake Francis John Drake Francis John Drake, MA MB BS (Melb) (12 December 1860 - 17 December 1929) was resident medical superintendent, Launceston Hospital. In 1860, Drake was born at St. Kilda, Melbourne. On 28 April 1879, he began work as a messenger at the Melbourne Public Library with an annual salary of £50. He attended Scotch College from 1875 to 1880. In 1886, he graduated with a BA degree, and in 1887 received the MA degree from Melbourne. In 1888, Drake completed the MB from the University of Melbourne Medical School. In 1896, the Statistics of the State of Tasmania