EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS. 



The first positive experiments upon the febrifugal virtues of leaves of E. globulus were made 

 in Spain by Dr. Tristany, whose observations were published in the Compilador medico, 1865 ; these 

 confirmed the already popular reputation gained by the new remedy in the maritime provinces of 

 that kingdom, where the opportunities for testing the therapeutic value of the leaves most readily 

 arose in cases of ague, from which the native country of E. globulus is so singularly exempt. Dr. 

 Tristany's observations were unexpected, all the more so as the common Cajuput-tree of India 

 (Melaleuca Leucadendron, which not only in natural affinities is closely allied to the Eucalypts, 

 but also yields a medicinal oil of much resemblance to Eucalyptus-oil) was never credited with any 

 anti-pyretic power either by the ancient Indian population or by any of the European physicians, 

 who had there to deal with fever-cases of the worst type during the successive last centuries. The 

 assurances of the Spanish physician incited the late Dr. Adolph Brunei of Toulon, to make E. 

 globulus the subject of grave clinical experiments, which gave affirmative results. Meanwhile 

 and subsequently the researches of Dr. Gimbert of Cannes, Drs. Carlotti and Tedeschi of Corsica, 

 Drs. Mares, Bertherand and Miergnes of Algeria, Professor Gubler, Dr. Leuglet and Dr. Pepin of 

 Paris, Dr. Maclean of Netley, Professor Lorinser of Vienna, Dr. Castan of Montpellier, Dr. Sac- 

 chero of Sicily and several other medical practitioners (some early also in the La Plata States) 

 placed the anti-febrile properties of the new medicament beyond a doubt. In the universal 

 exhibitions of Philadelphia, Vienna, the last one of Paris and in that of Sydney, numerous 

 medicinal preparations emanating from Eucalypts have been brought before the world, our fellow- 

 citizen, Mr. Jos. Bosisto, being foremost among those, who have greatly and successfully striven 

 to bring these Eucalyptus-medicines under notice. In the comparatively limited ague-regions of 

 North-East Australia, where Eucalyptus-vegetation is very largely replaced by ordinary jungle- 

 trees of Indian type, travellers and settlers have also found in Eucalyptus-preparations an effectual 

 remedy against the fever. The idea of converting Eucalyptus-leaves into cigarettes arose with 

 Mons. Prosper Ramel, who also turned it first into practice, indeed many years ago. 



We have as yet no accurate pathologic data on the effect of the exhalation of Eucalyptus- 

 forests on phthisic patients ; but I anticipate, that in the same manner as the air of dense woods 

 of Pines is apt to stay the inflammatory processes in diseases of the respiratory organs, so the 

 vapors of our Eucalyptus-forests, the odor of which we so readily perceive and recognize, will 

 likewise arrest the progress of these sad diseases, more particularly in their earlier stages, 

 and probably more so than sea-air, notwithstanding its pureuess, the atoms of bromine and iodine 

 carried with it and the increased ozone, which it evolves. Indeed I should assume, that sanitarian 

 dwellings could nowhere on the whole earth be provided for phthisic patients more auspiciously 

 and more hopefully, than in mountains clothed with Eucalyptus-forests in extra-tropical Australia 

 and at elevations (varying according to latitude from 1,000 to 3,000 feet), where the slightly 

 rarified air of a very moderate humidity pervaded by Eucalyptus vapor together with the 

 comparative equability of the temperature would ease the respiration greatly. This assumption is 

 largely based on the facts, that no other gregarious trees in the world evolve essential oil so largely 

 as our Eucalypts, unless perhaps some of the most terebinthine Pines of colder climes, and that 

 thus is afforded most copiously an oily volatile emanation, befitted to absorb and condense oxygen 

 into ozone, the most powerfully vitalizing, oxydizing and therefore also chemically and therapeu- 

 tically disinfecting element in nature's whole range over the globe. 



Our Blue Gum-tree has on the whole exercised already on regions of the warm temperate 

 zone a greater influence, scenic, industrial and hygienic, than any other single species of 



