CARYOPHYLLUM. - 243 



ACTION AND USES. 



Cloves may be taken as the type of a great group of remedies, 

 other members of which are orange, lemon, pimenta, cajuput, 

 carui, dill, peppermint, and many more, which are met with 

 in our systematic review of medicinal plants. This group is 

 known as the aromatic essential oils, of complex and 

 variable chemical" composition, but consisting as a rule of 

 terpenes, mixed with camphors, resins, fatty and other acids, 

 and different vegetable constituents. They are closely allied, on 

 the one hand, to phenol (carbolic acid) and benzoic acid, and on 

 the other to still more complex vegetable products, the balsams 

 and gum-resins. Instead of dislocating the various members 

 of the group of aromatic oils from their proper botanical 

 position to discuss them together, we will describe their action 

 and uses once for all under the present head, it being under- 

 stood that what is said of oil of cloves applies to the other 

 substances, with insignificant qualifications. 



1. IMMEDIATE LOCAL ACTION AND VSES. 



Externally, the essential oil of cloves and allied substances 

 closely resemble turpentine in properties. Thus, whilst preven- 

 ting or arresting decomposition, they redden and inflame the 

 skin, and cause for a time smarting pain, which gives place to 

 local anaesthesia. Oil of cloves and other officinal fragrant oils 

 are too costly to be used externally, except to scent liniments ; but 

 the concrete " oils," or solid constituents of the oils, of pepper- 

 mint, thyme, eucalyptus, myrtle, etc. (stearoptenes), are ex- 

 cellent antiseptics, local anaesthetics, stimulants and counter- 

 irritants and turpentine and camphor are common applications 

 for these purposes. Such aromatic substances might be used to 

 disinfect foul wounds and ulcers, and promote healing ; to hasten 

 the removal of chronic inflammatory products by increasing the 

 local blood-flow, and thus to reduce swelling in or under the 

 skin, the periosteum, or the joints ; to relieve neuralgic and 

 rheumatic pains, such as sciatica and lumbago, by dulling the 

 sensibility of the nerves ; and to act reflexly on deeper parts, 

 for instance, the lung or heart, when applied to the skin over 

 them as counter-irritants. 



Internally. In the mouth the aromatic oils of cloves and 

 its allies act much as they do on the skin. Besides being anti- 

 septic, they dilate the local vessels (? directly), and thus in- 

 crease the circulation, heat, and nutrition, and may even cause 

 inflammation. They irritate the nerves, causing pain associated 

 with a sense of burning; but depression quickly follows, and 

 local anaesthesia. Oil of cloves is a valuable "application in 



