220  Eucalyptus  Globulus  in  Mediciiie.  {%i7?;?8H7A2RM' 
throughout  with  an  aromatic  substance,  which  is  present,  however,  in 
smaller  proportions  in  the  wood  and  the  bark  than  in  the  flowers  and 
the  leaves.  The  tree  is  easily  acclimatized  in  the  southern  provinces 
of  France,  Corsica,  Algiers  and  Spain,  being  known  in  the  last  named 
country  under  the  popular  name  of  the  fever  tree. 
An  essential  oil,  having  the  formula  C12H40O,  is  obtained  from  the 
leaves  by  distillation,  which  has  been  named  by  Cloetz,  who  investi- 
gated its  composition,  eucalyptol.  The  results  of  this  investigation 
have  already  been  printed  in  this  Journal.*  Eucalyptol  has  an 
agreeable,  fragrant,  aromatic  and  peculiar  odor,  which  by  some  has 
been  compared  to  camphor,'  by  others  to  rose  or  lavender.  It  has  an 
aromatic,  warm  and  bitter  flavor,  accompanied  by  a  slight  acidity  and 
freshness  at  the  back  of  the  throat ;  when  in  excess,  however,  it  pro- 
duces a  burning  sensation,  and  an  increased  secretion  of  saliva.  Doses 
of  from  two  to  four  grams  and  upwards  cause  a  disturbance  of  the  di- 
gestion, sometimes  succeeded  by  a  diarrhoea  in  which  the  motions,  like 
the  eructations,  recall  the  smell  of  the  eucalyptus.  Large  doses  some- 
times cause  headache,  excitement  and  fever,  with  accelerated  respi- 
ration, thirst,  sickness  and  generally  sleepiness;  upon  anaemic  persons, 
however,  it  acts  as  a  narcotic.  The  symptoms  rarely  last  more  than 
a  few  hours.  In  most  cases  one  to  two  grams  can  be  tolerated  at  first, 
and  in  all  cases  the  patient  easily  becomes  habituated  to  its  use.  The 
physiological  action  of  the  leaves  is  very  similar,  and  it  has  been  found 
that  they  can  be  taken  by  fresh  patients  in  larger  doses  than  the  free 
essence. 
In  Australia  the  Eucalyptus  globulus  is  the  popular  remedy  for 
fevers,  and  in  Europe  it  has  been  used  successfully  in  the  treatment 
of  diseases  prevalent  in  marshy  districts.  M.  Gubler  quotes  the  tes- 
timony of  several  medical  practitioners,  who  say  that  it  produces 
marvellous  results  in  cases  of  intermittent  fevers,  especially  obstinate 
ones  where  sulphate  of  quinine  has  been  used  without  effect.  He 
also  points  out  that  in  marshy  districts  near  to  eucalyptus  forests  in- 
termittent fevers  are  unknown — a  result  that  he  attributes  either  to 
the  neutralization  of  the  effluvia  by  the  aromatic  emanations  from  the 
trees,  or  else  to  the  sweetening  of  the  stagnant  waters  by  the  leaves 
and  pieces  of  bark  that  fall  into  them,  such  waters,  according  to  trav- 
ellers, being  perfectly  potable.    Efforts  are  therefore  being  made  to 
*  Pharm.  Jour.  3d  Ser.  Vol.  I.  p.  78. 
