Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3109, 4 February 1879, Page 4

Medical A CONTEOVERSY SETTLED. TRUTH TBIUMPHAHT. EUCALYPTI OIL. LET the Public take notice of a few facts put forward for their information intbis intimutiou. They may be worth their study, and repay perusal in enlightening them upon a subject of practical utility. THE HISTORY OF THE OIL'S DISCOVERY. The Australian anti-fever tree—that is the blue gum, or eucalyptus globulus —has now spread its fame tnr^ughout the world, but there are many who do nob properly estimate its splendid qualities. It has been estimated that ibe Australian blue gums, which atud the face of the colony, oontaiu about five hundred million gallons of pure volatile oil, I that is the mortal foe of fever and ague. Every day in the year the forests of the colony are giviDg 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 in the world. Years ago enquiring minds bent their energies to utilise this splendid quality of the blue gum, and bring it into the reach of the public. Amongst these were Mr Bosißto, who over a dozen years since produced and exhibited in Dublin a tannate liquor resenoid of the tree.. . This, however, was but the first step. The nature of the liquor would not permit of its general Hee. »viuce tbat time it has been somewhat improved, and a species of the eucalyptus oil was come years ago manufactured. Still, the article being of a resinous turf pentiny. nature, wbb not Buch as could ever become a public favorite, and it Las been reserved for a firm known as SANDEK AND SONS, SANDHUBST, to purify and bring before the public in a form that is | PUBE, BSSEKTIAE, AND V©IATIIE, j a genuine essence ef the Australian blueg^m. After years of study they Lave accomplished this point.; This is a lact which is now past, the stage of conjecture. It is interesting to note bow this bus, in successive stages, beenbrought before the public. On the 27th of July, 1876, the Bendigo Advertiser wrote as follows^ quoting a ■■„■ ■ TESTIMONY TBOM A GEBMAN UMIVEBSITY. \ Kew.Locali iMDtJSTBY.—At the erection of the dje-works of Meoßrs Sander and Sons we, had occasion to mertioa: the spirit of enterprise displayed by the firm, and to-day another opportunity is.offered of mentioning their inquiring disposition as to industries. Mesers fcander and Bonß, concluding upon the, fact that the planting of the Australian gum in.America and other countries where fevers •re prevailing, prevented partially the spread of such fevers, manufactured about a year ago Bthall quantities of the essential oil of the glim, and forwarded' the same for investigation to one of the universities of Germany. Now they learn that the results of that"irives* gat ion are the most favorable that could be expected as to the Banative' power of that product. The correspondent's letter to Messrs "(Saiitfer 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 due-uses of the skin, and are of opinion that;the oil Avili be exclusively applied to diseases of the said kind as soon as it cau! be pot. We conclude further, from 1 the great, effect the oil produces in cases of external inflummation, it may be used with the same success in inflammation of the throat, colds, affections of the lungs, etc. Repeated I strong inhaling of the smelling vapor in case's of colds, clears the nostrils, and -gives" immediate relief, and full riddance of the, hear. As a disinfectant in general, it .may be said without previous observation that it deserves the preference of any other remedy to purify the air iv caseß,of fever: In that respect it deserves all attention of the medical profession of our crowded citiesi where the Want of apace and uninterrupted .presence of ioul air are the everlasting promoters of epidemic diseases. A few drops exposed in open vessels at different places ol the sick room or house, in evaporating clear th a air. The other sample you have forwarded iB here already known,- and represents more oil-like turpentine than an essential oil. It is not soluble in spirts of wine, aB it ought to be if of essential character. In consequence it has no familiarity whatever with your preparation, and is far inferior in value as a medicament." The recommendation from the German TJni* versity 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 td supply them quantities free of cost. They have already sent samples to the various hospitals in Victoria, ' TWO SOBTS OF Oil. Thus we ccc there are two distinct kinds of eucalypti oil—the purified and refined i article manufactured by Messrs Sander and Sonß, of Sandhurst, as well as a grosser material that must not be confounded with it. Apparently not recognising this, Mr Bbeisto wrote to the Bendigo Advertiser in reference to the above as follows :—" Sir, —I observe in your issue of Ibe 27th instant, a notice under the heading ' A New Locul Industry,' at the dye-works of Messrs Sander and Son, setting forth the new gum oil, together with a report from Germany on its virtues, et c. 1 desire to inform you that for the papt fifteen years I have described the physical and chemical characters of every ppeciea of the, eucalyptus growing in Victoria, btsides a number of others outside, over and over again, in medical and scientific journals of ViciOKia and Great Britain ; and moreover that in many museums of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, India, America and Great Britain, are to be Been not only specimens of the eucalypti oils, but many other serviceable and utilitarian products from the whole group of Australian eucalypti, presented, during the paßt fifteen years, by myself. What appears from the correspondent of Germany is merely language rehabilitated from my own writings. —I am repectfully yours, JoBBPH BosiSTO, Richmond, 27th July, 1876.''

The reply to the above letter came promptly and sharply from the new manufacturing firm, who wiote the very next day (August 1) to the editor of the same paper -. —•' Sir, — Your issue of the 31st instant contains a letter from Mr Joseph Bosiato, of Bichmond, treating upon our correspondence received from Germany, concerning the investigation of two different eortß of oil (eucalypti) forwarded by us to Germany. We are quite at a loss to Bee the purpose of Mr Bosisto's letter, and whatever celebrity he may have acquired by his scientific writings about the physical and chemical characters of the eucalypti growing in Victoria,, it might be putting too much Belf confidence in ene's self believing that in nil parts of the world his writings will be taken notice of. We know that German scientific bodies examine all new remedies offered by science; and then, relying on their own opinions, either approve or reject them. Now we learn (hat the second sort of oil (eucalypti^ mentioned near the end of our correspondent's letter is a product of Mr Bosisto's, who must, probably, feel uneasy in seeing it mentioned as inferior to our manufacture. However, Mr Bosisto is no more able to contend against facts than anybody else, and after having procured a sample of his manufacture, we tried to dissolve it in spirits of wine, and found—quite in accordance with tho information received from