242 ODOROGRAPHIA. 



E. globulus and E. amygdalina are so frequently mentioned 

 together, that it is convenient to describe their physical character- 

 istics under one head, as follows : — It was for many years supposed 

 that E. glolulus oil contained eucalyptol, while E. amygdalina 

 did not, but recent researches of Prof. Wallich have thrown a 

 fresh light on the subject, E. amygdalina contains la^vo-rotatory 

 pMlandrene ; E. globulus on the other hand contains no 

 phellandrene, but dextro-rotatory loinene. The common constituent 

 of both these oils is eucalyptol or cineol "Wallich had at first some 

 difficulty in isolating this substance from the oil of E. amygdalina, 

 apparently owing to the disturbing presence of some impurity. 

 This difficulty of separating eucalpytol from E. amygdalina 

 naturally gave rise to the supposition that it did not occur in that 

 species. The therapeutic effects of eucalyptus oil being considered 

 to be largely dependent on the presence in it of eucalyptol, it is 

 very satisfactory to learn that E. amygdalina (one of the most 

 abundant yielders of eucalyptus oil) contains that body. If for 

 no other reason than an endeavour to secure uniformity of oils, 

 it is desirable that as far as possible, they be given their own 

 species name. To use the words of a large user of eucalyptus oil, 

 " the oil they always obtaind was labelled E. gloUdus, and some- 

 times by way of a change, E. amygdalina, for the two things 

 seemed exactly the same." In a word E. glohidus in very many 

 instances, should be read " Eucalyptus:' Oil labelled E. globulus 

 should in fact be looked upon as only provisionally labelled, unless 

 the accuracy of the labelling be guaranteed by a firm of repute 

 and experience in this matter. Ko species of eucalyptus has been 

 more persistently advertised (for planting, etc.) than E. globidics, 

 and a number of people have at length got to imagine that there 

 are no other species — at all events of any importance. 



Comparatively little E. globulus oil is distilled in Australia, but 

 as this species has been largely selected for planting in Algeria 

 and California, a good deal of veritable E. globulus is produced by 

 these two countries. 



As regards the popular opinion that oil of E. globulus is of 

 greater therapeutic value than that of E. amygdalina, E. cneorifolia 

 and other eucalypts, attention has recently been directed,* by the 

 Curator of the Museum of the Pharmaceutical Society, to the 



* Pharm. Journ. [3], xxii., p. 877, 23rd April, 1892. 



