05 
rectified it is obtained colourless, but it readily becomes green if in contact for a short time with metallic 
copper. Guibourt, has, however, proved by experiment that the volatile oil obtained by the distillation of 
the leaves of several species of Melaleuca, Metrosideros, and Eucalyptus , has naturally a fine green hue. 
It is not improbable that this hue is transient, and that the contamination with copper is intentional in 
order to obtain a permanent green. (Materia Medica of Western India , Dymock.) 
M. Jules Poisson states that in the new edition of the Swedish Pharmacopoeia 
cineol (from Eucalyptus oil, probably) replaces Cajeput oil. 
Oil of variety lancifulia, Bailey.—The fresh leaves of this Australian 
variety yield ’895 per cent, of a slightly acid essential oil, of specific gravity ’917 
(Staiger). 
Schimmel & Co.* give the specific gravity of a specimen as 0’955; a D = 
— 3° 38', and states that it consists principally of cineol. 
Dr. Bancroft considers “ this oil to be more agreeable than that of Cajeput 
oil, which it closely resembles.” He finds that small insects imprisoned in its 
vapour are intoxicated. He has found it of value as an antiseptic inhalation in 
phthisis, for which purpose he considers it more pleasant than Eucalyptus oil. A 
sample of Queensland oil, however, examined at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition 
by an expert, was described as having a distinctly disagreeable odour, not resembling 
Cajeput, but reminding one of rotten fruit, so that probably the variety yielding it 
is somewhat removed from the typical form yielding the Cajeput oil of commerce. 
In Bentley and Trimen’s Medicinal Plants, 108, the name Melaleuca minor is 
retained as the species name for the Cajeput oil plant; “ as, however, it appears that 
this is the form only from which the oil is obtained, we have maintained the specific 
name without intending thereby to express any opinion as to its distinctness from 
the common Australian ‘Tea-tree’ (M. leucadendron) 
Oil of variety viridifora (Oil of Niaouli). 
Oil of'niaouli, the distillate obtained from Melaleuca viridifolia, Brongn. et Gris, called Niaoidi 
in New Caledonia, is very similar to oil of Cajeput in its properties and composition. The oil is called 
Gomenol on account of its preparation in the neighbourhood of Gomen. Sp. gr. 0'908 - 0'922 at 12°. 
Optically it is either inactive or slightly dextro or laevogyrate. 
Composition .f—In place of the 1 - pinene in Cajeput oil, niaouli oil contains d-pinene, of which a 
dextrogyrate solid monohydrochloride Ci 0 H 15 HC1. was obtained. Cineol is the principal constituent 
(about 66 p.c.) and is accompanied by a lajvogyrate compound of the same boiling-point (1 - limonene). 
Crystallised terpineol, C 10 H n O, and its valerianic acid ester are present to the extent of about 30 p.c. ; 
there are also present traces of acetic and butyric acid esters, j Bertrand separated by means of bisulphite 
two aldehydes from the oil, of which the one had the odour of valeric aldehyde, the other that of bitter 
almond oil, and boiled at 180 (benzaldehyde ?). The unpleasant odour of the crude oil is due to sulphur 
compounds.—“The Volatile Oils” (Gildemeister and Hoffmann), pp. 522-3. 
See also abstracts of investigations on this oil in Pharm. Journ. [3] xxiii, 
989; Chemist and Druggist, 27th May, 1893, p. 737. 
* Bericht, April, 1892, p. 41. 
t Bertrand, Bull. Soc. Chim. iii, 9. p. 432; Conipt, rend., 11G, p. 1070; Journ. Chan. See., lxiv, 523, 727 ; Voiry, 
“ Contribution a lV.tude chemique des huiles esscntielles de quelques Mvrtacdes.” These de t'Eco’.e de Pharmacie de Paris, 
1888. 
X Bericht ron Schimmel <(• Co., April, 1892, p. 41. 
