DEADLY EUCALYPTUS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17121, 16 April 1921, Page 6

DEADLY EUCALYPTUS.

SYDNEY CORONER'S WARNING. Tlie danger of taking eucalyptus, except in very small doses, was emphasised at.the City Coroner's Court at Sydney last, week during an enquiry into the death of Eliza Miller, a widow, 76 years of age. Dr. Alfred John Gibson told the Coroner that on March 11th he was cal/ed to see Mrs Miller at lier Home in Gloucester street, city. He was told that she had taken a teaspoonful of eucalyptus. When he reached her she was practically at the point of death ; and died in a few minutes jafter his arrival. The Coroner: To what do you attribute death? . Witness'. An overdose of eucalyptus. When shown a report by Dr. Cooksey (Government Analyst), setting out that in his analysis he found phellandrene 'in the ,eucalyptus, the witness said: "That should not have been in it." He explained that phellandrene was not deadly, but caused a good deal of irritation, and, according to the British Pharmaccpcea, should not bo in eucalyptus. He also learned from the analyst's report that the eucalyptus in this case contained cineol, but in a less quantity than the British Pharmacopcea required for internal administration. The doctor'added: "An ordinary dose* of eucalyptus is from half to three minims, but Mrs' Mille- is said to have taken 60 minims. A small dose is a tonic, but a large dose is a nerve depressant, paralysing the centres of respiration. and the action of the heart." According to evidence given by Edward Lamburn, a wharf labourer, Mrs Miller was in the habit of taking eucalyptus on sugai for asthma. Charles Brown told the Court that he bought the eucalyptus from a man who c§trae round selling' it in Melbourne. The Coroner: What is the largest quantity you have taken?

Witness: Half a teaspoonful. I The Coroner: This mixture is one that should not be taken internally. It just shows hoiw careful you must be. The only way to bo safe is to get this kind of stuff from the authorised vendors — : it doesn't matter how much you pay for it. It's better -and safer to get it , that way than to buy.it from someone i in the street. Tfce verdict was death from an overdose of eucalyptus accidentally taken.