EUCAL YPTUS. i 47 



EUCALYPTUS MEDICINALLY, 



Preparations of Eucalyptus are used here quite exten- 

 sively and the demand is rapidly increasing. The standing 

 of Eucalyptus as a curative agent is higher amongst the 

 laity than it is amongst the doctors. Teas and poultices 

 made from I^ucalyptus leaves are quite popular in Cali- 

 fornia for colds and grippe. Leaves are also steamed for 

 this purpose. A few drops of Eucalyptus oil in a hot 

 bath is agreeable and reputed to be a nerve sedative. 

 This treatment reduces the size of engorged spleens and 

 is a palliative or cure in malaria. Preparations from the 

 leaves are used in candy, for colds, in amycose as a 

 hair restorer, in cigarettes for catarrh and in lozenges for 

 the throat, hoarseness, etc. The most agreeable of these 

 lozenges that I have tried are the "Mission Lozenges," 

 made in Riverside, Cal. These have a good reputation 

 amongst singers and speakers. All these preparations are 

 from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus. All our Cali- 

 fornia Eucalyptus oil is from the same species. This 

 unity of the source of supply has the great advantage 

 of giving a reliable percentage of Eucalyptol,- to which, 

 principally, the curative effects are attributed. The Eu- 

 calyptus species vary greatly in the proportion of Euca- 

 lyptol that their oils carry. In some there is no Eucalyp- 

 tol, this principle being replaced in some cases by Phellan- 

 drene. The Australian oils are from mixed species and 

 to a considerable extent from Eucalyptus amygdalina leaves. 

 This species, by the most recent analysis contains no Euca- 

 lyptol. It seems unfortunate that this large oil yielder 



