September % 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
209 
NEKITJM OLEANDEB* 
The bark of the Nerium oleander contains a glueo- 
side Oleaudrine, which has lately been investigated, 
and found to have a powerful action upon the heart, 
not unlike that of Strophanthin and Digitaline. The 
results published go to prove that it is a very active 
poison, deriving its properties from several ingredients. 
In cases of asystole due to renal or cardiac lesions, it 
acts as a tonic to the heart, and increases diuresis, 
and would appear to be useful in those cases in which 
Strophanthus may be used, but the information is not 
yet completed on these points. It does not accumulate 
in the system. The preparations used are : — The Hydro- 
Alcoholic Extract in doses of Jrd grain per diem, gra- 
dually and cautiously increased to two graius ; the 
Tincture, representing 1 part of the bark to 5 parts 
of alcohol, in doses of 5 to 10 drops per diem. 
I am informed that Oleandrine is nut obtainable 
in a pure crystalline form, such as would render it 
conveniently and easily handled for medicinal pur- 
poses. — Christy's New Commercial Plants and Drugs. 
EUCALYPTUS HONEY. 
In May, 1884, Mr. E. Guilmeth, a distinguished 
French naturalist, during his travels in Australia, no- 
ticed at the summit of one of the Eucalyptsa curious 
formation, which greatly puzzled him. Thinking he had 
discovered some gigantic gall he made as careful an 
examination of it as he could with a field-glass ; 
after spending some time in this way, heard a gradually 
increasing buzzing, and saw thousands of black insects, 
smaller than the bees of this country, hovering round 
an aperture in what he had thought to be a gall. He 
at once concluded that it was a hive, and that the 
bees were of a family hitherto unknown to him. Being 
desirous of possessing the hive, he gave orders to his 
followers to cut down the tree, and while this was 
being done he retired to a spot whence he could 
watch the movements of the bees. He was much sur- 
prised to see some of the bees fly to within a few yards 
of the workmen and return rapidly to the hive, evidently, 
in his opinion, playing the part of scouts ; as soon as one 
lot had returned to the hive, another came down 
to return as quickly, and so on till the work of cut- 
ting down the tree was accomplished. The measure- 
ment of this Eucalypt was 7 metres diameter, and 
about 80 metres in height; Before pulling it to 
the ground the men were carefully protected on the 
han ds and face, so that when it fell the bees swarmed 
round them without any serious effect. The Queen 
was soon induced to leave the hive and with her went 
her subjects. Mr. Guilmeth then tasted of the honey, 
and found it to possess all the flavour of the Eucalyptus 
essences; this discovery was so important that he 
collected a supply of the houey and forwarded it to 
Dr. Oh. Thomas-Caramau, of Forges-les-Eaux, in Nor- 
mandy, for examination, who presented a paper on the 
subject to the Academy of Medicine in Paris, in 
January, 1887. 
Specimens of the bees were shown, and as in no 
books of reference any trace could be found of this 
bee, it was named Apis nigra mellifica. The bee is 
small and quite black, with a trunk appearing much 
more developed than in the bees of France or Algeria. 
It is interesting to note that Mr. Guilmeth tried, 
without success, to acclimatise this bee in Tasmania; 
also, that experiments were made in Algeria to get the 
bees there to take to the Eucalyptus flower, but with no 
better success. It is well known that Narbonne honey 
owes its peculiar flavour to the rosemary which abounds 
in the neighbourhood, and that that of Mount Hymettus 
is due to the Labiates. It was, therefore, thought that 
the domestic bee might be made to frequent the Eucalyp- 
tus flower and leaf, and thus a supply of this valuable 
honey be obtained such was not the case, as the bees 
gradually died off. 
Eucalyptus Honey is not nn artificial product, but 
a pure honey containing, as will be seen from the 
following analysis made by Mr. Oh. Herisson, Director 
of the Ohevrier Laboratory in Paris, all the valuable 
* The natives believe that the strong smell of this 
beautful flower is poisonous.— Ed. 
27 
principles found in the Eucalyptus tree, and to the 
presence of which are due all its wonderful antiseptic 
and anti-malarial properties. 
Sugar (mostly tevulose) — — 611.6 
Ash — — — — — 1.8 
Moisture — — — — 215.6 
Active principles, i. e., Eucalyptol, 
Eucalyptene, terpene, cymol, colouring, 
resinous and aromatic principles — 171.0 
1000.0 
Its rotary power in polarized light was 22° and its 
density 1'44. 
A glance at the above figures will at once establish 
the great importance of this honey as a nutriment 
and as a therapeutic product. 
Various experiments were made by Mr. Herisson to 
artificially obtain this houey by mixing the various in- 
gredients together with ordinary honey, but it was 
found that no amount of careful stirring and other 
treatment would prevent the active principles from 
separating and gradually volatilizing. Eucalyptus Honey 
filtered at a temperature of 68 g Fahr-, presents the 
appearance of a thick transparent and homogenous 
syrup, of a deep orange colour, with an odour which 
at once points to its source. It is very soluble in 
water, milk, and wine, but less in alcohol ; it is difficult 
to ferment, on account of the large proportion of sugar 
which it contains. 
Dr. Thomas-Oaraman gave some of the honey in 
warm milk to dogs, upon which it produced slowing 
of the heart's action, and a surprising diminution in 
the pulsations : in a small dog, from 124 to even as 
low as 70 per minute, the temperature being reduced 
by 1°. These effects lasted about 24 hours, and were 
accompanied by drowsiness, but without toxic depres- 
sion. Upon himself, the Doctor found it, if taken in 
warm milk, to yield a most pleasant beverage, and to 
produce, after a few minutes, an agreeable sensation 
of warmth throughout the body,* the active principles 
of the honey being eliminated through the larynx 
and the bronchial tubes, rendering the voice clearer 
and more resonant; breath became perfumed, and the 
lungs acted in a freer and more elastic manner. After 
taking the honey for a week, the Doctor said he could 
take violent exercise without any strain being felt. 
Eucalyptus Honey, with its 612 parts, per thousand, 
of pure sugar, will take a leading place amongst nutri- 
ments; it will prove an important substitute for Ood 
Liver Oil, in cases of bronchitis, phthisis, scrofula, 
&c. ; while, as a sedative to the heart, as a febrifuge, 
as an antiseptic and antiparasitic it would appear to 
be second to no other product. 
Its action upon the function of the bronchial and 
pulmonary passages is to regulate them, and to reduce 
catarrhs ; while on the heart it acts in a similar man- 
ner to digitalis. 
"Without going further into the uses to which 
Eucalyptus Honey may be put as a simple and en- 
joyable remedy, we may state that the uses of its 
active principles are : Eucalyptol, in intermittent fevers, 
post-scarlatinal nephritis, albuminaria coughs, and as 
a tonic, stimulant and antiseptic. Eucalyptene, the 
tonic bitter and amorphous principle of the Oil of 
Eucalyptus, used in malarial fevers. Terpene, a power- 
ful antiseptic, disinfectant and deodoriser, used in phthi- 
sis, dysentery, and to prevent intestinal infection. 
Cymol, a stomachic and carminative. 
Eucalyptus Honey is designed to play an important 
part in the treatment of laryngeal, bronchial, 
pulmonary, cardiac and scrofulous affections ; in malarial 
and typhoid fevers ; in whooping cough and influrnza ; 
in diseases of the bladder and kidneys; and in 
catarrhs. — Christy's New Commercial Plants and Drugs. 
NATIVE INDU8TBIES * NUTMEG— COTTON— 
PADDY. 
There was some attention paid lately in your 
columns regarding the cultivation of nutmegs more parti- 
cularly as a suitable industry for villagers. It is not 
beyond the means of the poorest cultivator who go t 
* It ought to be tried for chilblains, and oold 
hands and feet. 
