EUCALYPTUS. 241 



Eucalyptus globulus was discovered in 1792by Labillardiere 

 in Tasmania, and was introduced into Europe in 1856 by Eamel, 

 who was the first observer of the beneficial effects produced 

 by this tree wlien planted in malarious districts, also of its 

 wonderful rapidity of growth, and it was due to his efforts that 

 the tree soon acquired a great reputation. It requires about the 

 same temperature as the orange. Its power of draining or drying 

 marshy land, indicated by Eamel, has been abundantly proved, 

 this eucalypt showing a predilection for soils of that nature. The 

 wonderfully rapid growth of the tree, and the immense quantity 

 of water it absorbes into its tissues, explains in some measure its 

 power for land drainage, the salubrious effect of which is increased 

 by the balsamic emanations from its leaves. 



Its common name is " The Tasmanian or Victorian Blue Gum " 

 and was originally confined by nature to these two Colonies. 

 It likes a touch of frost, and hence when planted in the warmer 

 parts of Xew South Wales (Sydney for example) it does not 

 flourish, but forms a straggling, sickly, short-lived tree, a prey to 

 insect life. 



As regards the words '' Blue Gum," the adjective " blue " refers 

 to the bluish cast of the glaucous foliage, and occasionally bears 

 reference to the tint of the smooth bark. Many species are known 

 as Blue Gum in different localities. 



Eesearches into the medicinal properties of this tree were first 

 made, in Europe, by Tristani* and by Kegulus Carlotti.t In 1870, 

 Cloez discovered in the leaves of the eucalyptus (the only part of 

 the tree used medicinally) a body which he named Eiicalyptol,X 

 afterwards examined, with somewhat different result, by Faust 

 and Homey er.§ 



Eiicalyptol, C\ ^ H-, g 0, is now known to be identical with Cineol, 

 Maiden in his description of the different species of Eucalypts 

 yielding oils,'! says: — 



* El. compilator medico, Janv., 1865. 



t Mem. lue a la Soc. de Med. d'Alger, published in Corsica, 1869. 



X I. Campion, '" L'Eucalyptus globulus et I'Eucalyptol," Paris, 1872 ; 

 Comptes Rendus, 28 Mars, 1870; and Journ. de Pharm. et de Chim,, 1870, 

 xii., p. 201. 



§ Bev. Deutsch. Chem. Ges., 1874, vii., p. 63; and Journ. de Pharm. et de 

 Chim., 1874, xix., p. 495. 



I! Pharm. Journ. of Australasia, 15th Mai eh, 1892. 

 R 



