The Life of Charles Ledger (1818-1905) : Alpacas and Quinine

This is a biography of Charles Ledger, whose greatest contribution to the world was the identification and cultivation of the "best" unhybridized cinchona seed, from which 90% of the world's quinine was eventually produced. Charles Ledger also led an adventurous life: perhaps his greatest feat being an epic drive of alpacas. His travels took him 2500 km from Peru and Bolivia through Argentina and across the Andes to Peru and then by boat to New South Wales in an attempt to establish an alpaca wool industry there - the journey took six years. He died unrecognized by the scientific community and poor.