24 THE SASSAFRAS TREES OF QUEENSLAND. 



with small holes, to allow the water and oil to pass to the lower 

 compartment. The upper compartment is supplied with a layer 

 of straw which catches and holds the crystalline camphor deposi- 

 ted as it passes in the cooling process. In a similar way the 

 camphor could be sublimated from the leaves of Cinnamomum 

 Oliveri, 



2. Camphdrigenol Cjo Hjg isomeric with borneol is the 

 essential oil which keeps the camphor dissolved in the living 

 plant. It goes over with the camphor and dissolves it again in 

 hot weather. When cooled the camphor separates from it again. 

 There is more of this essential oil contained in the Brisbane 

 Sassafras tree than in the Camphor Laurel, and it has a peculiar 

 odour, very likely arising from the admixture of some other 

 essential oil which I could have obtained by fractional distillation. 



By heating the oil with nitric acid I could easily turn it into 

 camphor. 



3. The decoction of the leaves, or rather a hot watery 

 extraction, contains much Arabin precipitated by alcohol on 

 addition of a drop of hydrochloric acid. It is turned into meta- 

 arabin by this process and the whole of the tannin contained in 

 the leaves gets united with it when precipitated. The meta- 

 arabin dissolves only if boiled with solution of caustic potash. 



4. A tannin, identical with the tannin of the Camphor 

 Laurel forms a high per cent, of the decoction of the foliage of 

 Cinnamomum Oliveri. As the same tannin is contained m the 

 bark and as it has been described already by the late Mr. Staiger, 

 it will be dealt with under the next heading. 



5. The bark of Cinnamomum Oliveri has a strong aromatic 

 odour and a pleasant astringent taste. It is frequently used by 

 bushmen to improve the flavour of their tea, a little bit of bark 

 being infused therewith. The active principles are a notable oil 

 and a peculiar tannin. This bark has been used by many 

 medical men as a convenient aromatic astringent in diarrhoea, 

 and has been recommended by the Medical Society of Queensland 

 ^or insertion in the British Pharmacopoeia. Mr. Staiger says : 

 *' Contains 9 per cent, of tannin, which colours iron solution green, 



