329 
1793. In his original description of E. capitellata (see my " Critical Revision 
of the Genus Eucalyptus " Part VIII, p. 211) it will be observed that Smith, in the 
year 1793, speaks of the leaves as " not very aromatic." 
1793. Under E. obliqua we have " Leaves . . . aromatic, but without the 
flavour of peppermint." (Smith, op. cit.) 
Smith, in his original description of E. corymbosa (1793) says, " Leaves scarcely 
at all aromatic." 
1797. E. piperita. ' The latter is very common (in English gardens) and 
may be known by its smell, resembling that of peppermint." Smith, in Trans. Linn. 
(Soc., iii, 288, 1797.) 
1830. Following is the first reference, known to me, of the oil of E. globulus, 
Under the heading " Discovery of oil from the Eucalyptus globulifera (globulus is meant, 
J.H.M.) by Mr. Eraser, Colonial Botanist, in the Sydney Gazette, 28th August, 1830, is one 
of the early references to Eucalyptus oil. 
Valuable Discovery. A discovery has been recently made by our Colonial Botanist, Mr. Fraser, 
which promises to be of great importance. Having extracted by distillation a superior oil from the Gum 
tree, Eucalyptus globulifera, it occurred to him that it might possibly afford relief in cases of rheumatism, 
from which disorder he was himself suffering severely. He accordingly rubbed the part affected with the 
oil and not only experienced almost instantaneous relief, but in a few hours the rheumatic pains were 
entirely removed. Mr. Fraser has recommended this novel specific to several of his acquaintances, and in 
every instance the experiment has succeeded. It is deserving of the attention of our medical gentlemen. 
This passage shows that, whatever the extent to which Eucalyptus oil was put 
in the earliest years of settlement, its use had nearly died out. 
* 
MODERN HISTORY. 
(Say 1860 to date.) 
It is appropriate to deal with Eucalyptus oils in general with E. yldbulun, 
described in this Part. 
It is true the first oil was distilled from a Sydney species in 1788, and it could 
not therefore be E. globulus. It was probably from more than one species, and doubtless 
included E. piperita. References to the oil seem to have died out in a few years, and 
then we have a reference in 1830 to Charles Fraser, who was Superintendent of the 
Botanic Gardens at Sydney. He used the leaves of E. globulus, whether from Sydney 
cultivated trees, or from Tasmania, which he had visited on more than one occasion, 
I do not know. 
The leaves of this species reek with oil, and must have attracted the attention 
of the very earliest colonists accordingly. Partly because of its extensive cultivation 
in North Africa (Algiers) and California in the sixties, and the remarkable way in which 
it acclimatised itself, the words " Eucalyptus Oil " became largely a synonym of " Oil 
of Eucalyptus globulus" at all events, from say 1865 and twenty years onwards. It 
