OILS. 277 
slightly acid essential oil, of specific gravity *g17. (Staiger.) Dr. 
Bancroft, (speaking of 44. Leucadendron var. lanctfolia), considers 
‘this oil to be more agreeable than that of cajeput oil, which it 
closely resembles.” He finds that small insects imprisoned in its 
vapour are intoxicated. He has found it of value as an antiseptic 
inhalation in phthisis, for which purpose he considers it more 
pleasant than Eucalyptus oil. A sample of Queensland oil, how- 
ever, examined at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition by an expert, 
was described as having ‘‘a distinctly disagreeable odour, not 
resembling cajeput, but reminding one of rotten fruit,” so that 
probably the variety yielding it is somewhat removed from the 
typical form yielding the cajeput oil of commerce. In Bentley 
and Trimen’s Medicinal Plants, 108, the name Melaleuca minor 
is retained as the species name for the cajeput oil plant; “as, 
however, it appears that this is the form only from which the oil is 
obtained, we have maintained the specific name without intending 
thereby to express any opinion as to its distinctness from the 
common Australian ‘Tea-tree’ (JZ. Leucadendron.)” 
I have, however, given a few notes on cajeput oil, although I 
am a little uncertain as to whether the particular variety of Je/a- 
leuca which produces it is actually indigenous in Australia. But, 
whether it is actually indigenous or not, the oils yielded by the 
various species of Melaleuca possess a greater or less family 
likeness, and as the oil of the present species has been most 
worked at, the notes will be useful as a guide. 
Rumphius says that the leaves are gathered on a warm day 
and placed in a sack, where they become hot and damp. They 
are then macerated in water and left to ferment for a night, and 
afterwards submitted to distillation. Two sacksful of the leaves 
yield only about three fluid drachms of the oil. Lesson’s account 
is also given in Bentley and Trimen’s Medicinal Plants. This is 
probably a proper and convenient way of treating the leaves of 
many of our myrtaceous trees with the view of extracting the oil 
they contain. 
“‘Cajuput, or cajeput oil, is much used in India as an external 
application for rheumatism. It is a powerful anti-spasmodic 
diffusible stimulant, and sudorific. It is coming more into use in 
