Page 3 Advertisements Column 6

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3094, 17 January 1879, Page 3

Medical A OONTEOVERSY SETTLED. TRUTH TRIUMPHANT, EUCALYPTI OIL. .; LET tHe Fnblio take notice of » few facts put forward for their information ia this intimation. They may be worth their study, J and repay perusal in enlightening them upon ; a subject of practical utility. * THE HISTORY OF THE OIL'S DISOOVEET. The Australian anti-fever tree—that is the blue gum, or eucalj/ptut globulin—hu now spread its fame throughout the world, but ' there are many who do not properly estimate its splendid qualities., It has been estimated that the Australian blue gums, which stud the face of the colony, contain about five hundred million gallons of pure volatile oil, that is the mortal foe of fever and ague. Srery day in the year the forests of ihe ooleoy are giving out and exhaling, in the form of vapor, an aromatic fragrance to our breezes, and a - health-giving essence to our people. This fact , is now recognised by all the scientists jn.thc world. Years ago enquiring minds bent their energies to utilise this splendid quality of the , blue gum, and bring it into the jeacn of the ' public. Amongst these were Mr ftosistc, ] who over a dozen years since produced and exhibited in Dublin a tannate liquor r'esenoid of the tree. This, however, was but the first step. The ' nature of the liquor would not permit of its general we. Since that time it bas been somewhat improved, and a species of the ' eucalyptus oil was some years ago manufac- , tured. '

Still, the article being of a, resinous tur- ' pentiny nature, was not such'as could ever become a public favorite, and it has been reserved for a firm known as SAtfDEB AND BOKB, BAKB&VBST, to purify and bring before the public i» » form that is PUBS, ESSENTIAL, AKD VOLATILB, a genuine essence of the Australian bluegum.. After years of study they have accomplished this point. This is a fact which is now past '. " the stage of conjecture. It is interesting to note how this has, in successive stages,' been brought before the public. On the 27th of July, 1876, the Bendigo Advertiser wrote as follows, quoting a TESTIMONY PBOM A GEBMAN TTKIVEBSIIT. New Local iNDrsTBT.—At the erection of the dye works of Messrs Sander and Sons wo had occasion to mention the spirit of enterprise displayed by the firm, and to-day another opportunity is offered of mentioning their inquiring' disposition as to industries. Messrs Sander and Sons, concluding upon the faot that the planting of the Australian gum in America and other countries where fevers are prevailing, prevented partially the spread of such fevers, manufactured about a year ago small quantities •of the essential oil of the gum, and forwarded the same for investigation to one of the universities of Germany. Now they learn that the results of that invesgation are the most favorable that could be expected as to the sanative power of that product. The correspondent's letter to Messrs Sander and Sons says, concerning the matter:

" We found the essential oil enclosed unsurpassed by any known remedy in all cases of wounds, burns, or cancerous wounds, inflammation, and in all diseases of the skin, and are of opinion that the oil will be exclusively applied to disease* of tho said kind as soon as it can be cot. We conclude further, from the great effect the oil produces in oases of external inflammation, it may be used with . the same success in inflammation of the throat, colds, affections of the lungs, etc. Repeated strong inhaling. of the smelling vapor in oases of colds, dears the nostrils, and gives immediate relief, and Ml riddance of the., heat. Asa disinfectant in 'general, it may he said without previous observation that it deserves the preference of any other remedy to purify the air in cases of fever. In that' respect it deserves all attention of the medical profession of our crowded cities, where the want of space and uninterrupted presence of /< foul air are the everlasting promoters of epidemic diseases. A few drops exposed in . open vessels at different places oi the. sick room or house, in, evaporating clear ths air. The, other sample you have forwarded is here already known, and represents more oil-like . turpentine than an essential oil. II is not, soluble in spirts of wive, as it ought to, he ft ot essential character.' Inconsequence it hai.< no familiarity whatever with your preparation*! . and is far inferior in value as a medicament.". . The recommendation from the German University is a strong one, and our medical gentlemen if they choose, can readily prove its reliability. For this purpose Messrs Sander and Sons are prepared to supply them quantities free of cost. They have already, sent samples to the various hospitals in Victoria. ,TWO SOKN 01 OIL.

Thus we see there are two distinct kinds of eucalypti oil—the purified and refined article manufactured* by Messrs Sander and Sons, of Sandhurst, M; well as a grosser ' material -that must not be confounded with - it. Apparently not recognising this, Mr Bosisto wrote to the Bendigo Advertiser,;it» ■'■■'■ reference to the above as follows:—"Sir,—l; ■*" observe in your issue of the 27th instiuit; »' netice under the heading ' A New 'Local Industry,' at the dye-works of Messrs Sander ■' and Son, setting forth the new gam oil; together with a report from Germany oh its ;j virtues, etc. I desire to inform you that for the past fifteen years I hare described-the physical and chemical characters'of'every species of the eucalyptus growing in Victoria, besides a number of others outside, over and over again, in medical and scientific journals : of Victoria and Great Britain ; and moreover that in many museums of Germany,. France, Italy, Spain, India, America and Great , Britain, are to be teen not only specimens of the eucalypti oils, but many other serviceable and utilitarian products from the whole group ' of Australian:eucalypti, presented; during«tho '. past fifteen years, by myself. What uppeara from the correspondent of Germany is merely ; language rehabilitated from my own writings. —I am repoctfully, yours, JoSKPH \BoaiSTO, \ .Richmond, 27th July, 1876." ...;. ... , v,,

The reply to the above letter came promptly and sharply from the new manufacturing , firm, who wrote tbo very next day (August 1) 1 to the editor of the st»mo paper. —"Sir, — Your issue of the 31st instant contains a letter from Mr Joseph Boristo, of Bicbinond, treating upon oar correspondence received from Germany, concerning the investigation of two different sorts of oil (eucalypti) forwarded by us to Germany. Wo are quite tit a loss to see the purpose of Mr Boeieto'*letter, and whatever celebrity he may have acquired by his scientific writings about the physical 1 and chemical characters of the eucalypti growing in Victoria, it might be putting too ' much self confidence in ene's self bettering ' that in all parts of the world his writings will ' be taken notice of. IWe know that German , scientific bodies examine all new remedies offered by science; and then, relying on their own opinions, either approve or reject them. Sow we learn that tho second sorb of oil (eucalypti mentioned near the end, of oiir correspondent's letter is a product of Mr " Bosisto's, who mutt, probably, feel uneasy in seeing it mentioned as inferior to our manufacture. However, Mr Bosisto i» no more able to contend against facts' than *W« - body else, and after having procured,a saiuplil p of his ronnufacture, we tried to dissolve it' it in spirits of wine, and found—quite in accordance with tho information received from