BY JOSEPH LAUTERER, M.D. 99 



some cases of chronic bronchitis and asthma. The leaves of 

 the peppermint trees (E. amygdalina, dr.) give an infusion 

 closely resembling to, and being as useful as those of the 

 European peppermint. Small bags of soft washed calico stuffed 

 with recently dried and powderei leaves of the strongly smell- 

 ing kinds of Eucalypts, can be used like sponges and compresses 

 for much discharging wounds, as their essential oil is a powerful 

 antiseptic more than three times stronger than carbolic acid in 

 destroying bacteria. In the bush hut, where diphtheria patients 

 are lying, or where an acute case of bronchitis with troublesome 

 cough is to be soothed, the dry air of the sick-room is much 

 improved, if a big bunch of fresh twigs of Eucalypt is dipped in 

 hot water and then hung up in a corner or on the ceiling. Of an 

 immense value for the bushman are the gums (erroneously 

 styled " kinos") of the Eucalypts. They were introduced into 

 Europe as early as IHIO, when the gum of our common iron- 

 bark {E. siderophloi(i) was collected by the convicts under the 

 name of "Botany Bay kino." Whereas the ironbark was termed 

 by Cunningham E. re-nnifera — -a name which to-day is 

 reserved for the Jimmy Low. The European Pharmacopoeias 

 erroneously still enumerate E. resinifcra as the plant which 

 yields the Botany Bay kino. When I left Europe, twelve years 

 ago, there was a great demand for Eucalypti gum, and its 

 superiority over the other vegetable astringents was pointed out 

 by German investigation to be due to their power to adhere 

 firmly and kindly to the mucilaginous membranes of the 

 body. In this country Dr. Joseph Bancroft, to whom 

 Queensland is indebted for so many fine and useful researches, 

 has been the first scientific man who had a closer look 

 to the native medicines, especially to the kinos of the 

 Eucalypts. In 1886 he gave a contribution to the pharmacy 

 of " Queensland " for the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in 

 London, in which paper many kinos were examined, and their 

 properties and qualities stated. Following in his footsteps, I 

 have during .the last eight years gathered much experience 

 respecting the subject. There are some gums quite useless for 

 internal use, owing to the admixture of sour or nauseous 

 principles. The forest mahogany [E. microcorys), for instance, 

 yields a dark gum, containing some free acid, of a nasty taste 



