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The word eucalyptus signifies fully capped. The distinctive character of the tree 
consists ina kind of conical cap that covers the bud, which is thrown off as the stamens 
expand. This cap forms the limb of the calyx, the base of which adheres to the ovary. . 
There is no corolla; the numerous stamens are attached to the apex of the tube of the 
calyx. The ovary is inferior, and bears a style and single stigma; the fruit is a cap- 
sule of four polyspermous cells; the flowers are usually of a yellow color, and emit a 
strong resinous odor; they form in groups, or appear singly at the axes of the leaves. 
These trees abound in the forests of New Holland, and have been transplanted to 
Africa, from thence to Spain, and afterward to France. They thrive marvellously, com- 
- monly attaininga height of more than a hundred feet. The trunk grows straight to the 
distance of half its height; the branches become crooked as they are developed; the 
bark is of a dark gray color, and detaches itself from the tree. The leaves are of 
various sizes; some of them are more than 4 inches in length and over 2 inches in breadth ; 
twenty of these leaves, about 2 inches wide and 24inches long, weigh, when dried, 8 grams. 
The color of the leaf is a deep gray; its outer surface is of a greenish-blue tint, while the 
inner surface appears to be covered with a whitish powder; viewed through a micros- 
cope, the vesicles filled with essential oil may be seen. Their flavor is warm and 
aromatic, similar to that of peppermint when added to a little turpentine; to this 
sensation there succeeds a bitter-sweet taste. 
' The leaves of the eucalyptus are highly prized in certain portions of Spain ; at Cor- 
dova, for example, where they are prescribed as a substitute for qninine. Mons. Re- 
naud employed a great number of workmen in this city. As soon as any of these felt 
the symptoms of intermittent fever, he compelled them to take a gram of this leaf, 
reduced to powder, three times a day; they were invariably cured in a few days. 
On the 6th of March, 1867, the writer of this article presented to the Society of 
Pharmacy, of which he is the president, a flask of the volatile oil of the eucalyptus and 
a sample of the plant. 
This essence possesses an aromatic odor; it is colorless and of a fluidity equal to the 
essence of mint. Placed in contact with nitric acid, it acquires consistency and becomes 
resinous. It is believed that its action is antiperiodic. It would be interesting to 
ascertain if the leaves of the eucalyptus, when cultivated in France, would obtain the 
same properties as those which are taken from the trees of Spain and Africa. Our 
malarial fevers would, in this case, yield to this agent, and it would also be a great 
economy to the poor classes, as the sulphate of quinine is at the present time, and will 
long continue to be, of a very high price, although we have no fear that the precious 
cinchona tree will disappear for many years to come. 
The following communication is of later date: 
* * * * 
The Eucalyptus globulus, which we first brought to the attention of the 
learned world and of therapeutists, has at length, we hope, taken its proper place in the 
medical practice. Mons. Ramel had the honor of introducing this magnificent and valua- 
ble vegetable production into Europe; Messrs. Cloez, Gimbert, Regulus Carlotti, and 
Tristamy have acquainted us with its chemical composition and its therapeutic effects, 
but Professor Gubler alone has given us a complete work upon this subject. 
Let us hope that speculation and infatuation will not seize upon this plant for com- 
mercial purposes, a misfortune that has too often attended important discoveries. 
We have received barks of the Eucalyptus globulus from the north of France and 
Australia, compared them with those of Africa, and are prepared to admit that those 
barks and leaves that are obtained from warm climates should be employed in prefer- 
ence to others. 
It is well known that vegetation, in every period, increases its bulk by means of 
materials that it gathers from without; that‘among certain dicotyledonous trees this 
increase takes place in the exterior layer of the liber or inner bark of the tree; that 
this phenomenon operates very slowly in certain vegetables and rapidly in others. 
The Eucalyptus globulus increases with great rapidity. In Australia the leaves and 
bark are rich in essential oil, which exudes whenever the bark or a leaf is rent by an 
insect or any foreign body. This essence, coming in contact with the atmospheric 
air, forms little globules that are detached by the action of the wind. 
As it is much more easy to procure barks from Africa than from Australia, those of 
Africa should be used for therapeutic purposes. 
These barks are classified as young, living, and dead barks. The very young barks 
have no aroma, and are rolled together ; their color is analogous to that of the cinna- 
mon of China. Those which are naturally detached from living trees are very good ; 
those procured from dead trees are worthless. Viewed through a microscope they ap- 
pear to be covered with a cryptogamous vegetation, which defaces them. Barks of 
dead trees have little odor, are easily separated, and weigh a third less than those 
taken from living trees. 
The barks of ‘the eucalyptus are composed of layers methodically superposed, which 
are susceptible of division after a long steeping in water. The lamine are formed by 
