ORIGINAL LECTURE 035T SVOAIiTPTOL i The Etherial Oil of the Leaves of Eucalyptus Globulus-Its Uses in Medicine and Surgery,

LOUIS BAUEIi, M. M. 11. C. S., Bag., Professor of Surgery in the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons., Etc.

Eucalyptus Oil has been known and used as a at our command on this occasion. We must refer remedial agent in Europe for the last fifteen years. those who wish to study the subject ex funde- Its high price has interfered with its general use, mento to theoriginal workItself. and even now, the same cause hinders its rapid The impression prevails that the tree of Euca- introduction into practice. Like all powerful lyptusglobulus gives protection against malaria. drugs,it has foundits warm advocates and also its Prompted by this idea, the French governmenthas adversaries. commenced its cultivation in the south of France But since Eucalyptol has been recognized as a and in Algeria, and the Italian authorities have morereliable and agreeable, and at the same time adopted similar measures to improve theirswamp less -dangerous antiseptic than carbolic acid, and lands. Future observations will decide as to the since Professor Lister lias emphatically indorsed hygienic virtues of this tree. and adopted it, the interest of the professionin all From a perusal of the. literature of the subject, relating to it has been com mensnrately increased. and takingmerely the opinions of such writers as My attention was first called to its therapeutic are favorably impressed with the therapeutic prop- virtues hy Professor Hosier, of Germany, and I erties ofEucalyptus Oil, it would seem that, it than resolved to enter upon a course of experi- constitutes one of the most, serviceable remedies meatal investigations. Unfortunately, I have in the physician's armory. been unableto find leisure for the elaboration of In the Eropeanmarkets several qualities of the the subject, and, therefore, I have bad to content oil are offered for sale, all more or less impure. myself with giving it a trial as opportunity offered. Some of them had to be prepared for use byre-dis- On the whole. I can but confirm the observations tillation. Cloez subjects the crude article first to of Hosier and others, and must confess that T am the action of caustic potash and a solution of cal- most favorably impressed with theaction of this cium chloride, and subsequently to distillation. drug. The resultis a colorless, transparent, oily fluid, Although I have failed to carry my original de- with an aromatic odor. Its specific gravity is sign into effect, I will do the next hest, hy ac- 0.905; it boils at 170 to 175° F. The substance quainting you with results of the latest investiga- thus prepared be called “Eucalyptol,” by which tions into the subject in foreign lands. term it is nowgenerally known in Europe. Dr. Hugo Schultz* of the university of Bonn, I am pot aware that any brand of the article has in Prussia, has just published a pamphlet on “Eu- been imported into the United States other than

” calyptus Oil. He has not only collected the lit- that of Sander & Sons, of Sandhurst, Australia. erature on the subject, but be has gone over the The Eucalyptus is indigenous to that part of the entire field with that thoroughness which is pecu- world, and grows therein great profusion. The liar to the German mind. In addition, he has in- article furnished by this firm, corresponds exactly stituted numerous experiments to elucidate the in its chemico-physical properties to theBucalyp- action of this substance. By the aid of this liter - tol of Cloez, and it is this importation that I have ary auxiliary, I am enabledto render you cognizant employed in my clinical tests. of all which is thus far known about the subject. With the view of ascertaining the physiological The author devotes more time and space to the effects of Eucalyptol, Gimbert, Seitz, Siegan, physico-chemical characters of the oil than we have Schultz, and others have taken ascending doses of as (= «Das Encalyptnsoel pharmalogisch und klinisch the article; Schultz as much ten grins. two dargistellt. Bonn; Cohn & Sohn, 1881. and a-half fluiddrachms) at one time. 2 LECTURE ON EUCALYPTOL,

Eucalyptol never interfered with digestion, ex- The temperature under the action ofEucalyj/tol. cepting acting as an appetizer.* Only exception- —Gimbert and Siegau claim that animal heat is ally it produced ephemeral nausea; soon after it reduced by this agent. This has been proven ex- was taken, a sensation of heat was experienced in perimentally—by Siegan upon himself. Between the mouth, fauces, pharynx, and in the stomach, 1:45 and 6 oclock P. M., he took onehundreddrops followedby dryness. A constant effect was a cer- of the oil. The physiological rise of six-tenths of tain by no means disagreeable lassitude and irre- a degree (C.) not only did not occur, bat there was futable drowsiness. The sleep following was a fall of two-tenths of a degree below the normal quiet and refreshing, and susceptible of interrup- standard. The total reduction, therefore, amounted tion. For hours afterwards the breath was redo- to eight-tenths of a degree. A second experiment lent with the peculiar aromatic odorof the drug, exhibited a depression of six-tchths of a degree. and the urine had the odor of violets. No albumi- According to Siegan, quinine falls short of Such- nuria was to be detected. lyptol in this regard. These observations have The concentrated alcoholic tincture of Eucalyp- been confirmed by Lieberraeister* and Jurgensen** a tus leaves was taken by Seitz in drachm doses. The former administered dose of quinine of 2.4 It increased the temperature of the body, and grains ( 3i' grains), producing all the collateral •eventually gave rise to slight perspiration. The symptoms usual to the action of this drug, but no head felt heavy and as if a hand encircled it reduction of the temperature after seven hours. no tightly. The secretion of mucus was augmented The latter observed change in the bodily heat grams (“- ) In the mouth and pharynx, followedby eructations alter theadministration of 7.2 111 grains and dryness. No derangement of digestion was of quinine, given in solution within thirty-two noticed, nor was there any materialincrease in the hours. Wachsmuthf makes a similar statement. ■secretion of urine. The comparative experiments, made by Schultz, upon six rabbits, are entirely confirmatory of those The elimination of the oil is principally effected the temperature was days referred to; while kept below by the lungs and bowels; it may take several the normalin three which had received subcutane- before the Eucalyptol disappears from the breath ous Injections of half a gram ( 7or 8 drops) of or stools. The skin and kidneys are only engaged Eucalyptol. in its removal from the body. Sometimes remotely Eucalyptol upon the organic elements he appliedbefore theviolaceous Effects of artificial heat must of the blood. —On exposing the blood of the frog noticeable. odor becomes to the vapors of Eucalyptol, the following changes One case, however, is mentioned ‘by Mees, in are observed to take place under the microscope; which alhuihen was discharged under the use of Increasing clearness of the nuclei of thered cor- Eucalyptol in malaria, in this instance, albumi- puscles, radial folding of the protoplasm from the nuria may have pre existed; and this symptom may nucleus towards the periphery; gradually the ceil be attributed more rationally to the disease than elongates, when isolated, and assumes the shape of employed. to the therapeutic agent a rhombus; whengrouped, they appear as if con- instituted Some experiments have been with verted into endothelium. A small drop of Euca- reference to the external effects of the oil. They lyptol placed upon the edge of the slide destroys all show that the drug produces an irritatingaction the corpuscles hut leaves the nuclei. upon the healthy epidermis. The raw oil causes a liabbit blood is darkened by Eucalyptol, and the burning sensation, erythemaand blisters; the Eu- corpuscles are rendered uneven (crenated) at their a calyptol produces no burning, only slight redden edges. The spectroscopereveals (1) a marked dif- mg of the skin, and miliary eruption, which man- ference between the blood of cold, and warm- ifestations verygradually. bloodedanimals. The blood of frogs poisoned by a Dr. Schultz noticed consecutive effect for Eucalyptol, exhibits the stripesof oxyhsemoglohin, explanation, which he can offer no viz: Fourteen while the blood of mammals, mixed with a trifling termination days after the of the cutaneous amount of the same substance, soon turns dark oil, him- changes evoked by the be observed upon and coagulates. self a new erythema over the chest which recurred Schlaeger states that the action of Eucalyptol every evening, gradually spreading along the obliterates allapparent differences betweenarterial course of the lymphatics (like erysipelas), towards and venous blood; according to this observer, arte- the inner aspect of the thighs, hack and down the rial blood immediately loses its bright color when where it became fixed and covered with acneform shaken up with Eucalyptus oil. (2) The effects of pustules. These singular phenomena diedbut by Eucalyptol upon the white corpuscles arc more degrees in about four weeks. ￿Archive f. Klin, Med. 1876. ￿Eructations, however, followed, sometimesper- ￿￿Die Korperwarme, etc., Leipzig, 1878. sisting for four hours. tArchiv cl. Heiiknnde, 1863. LECTURE ON EUCALYPTOL. 3 prominent. Both Mees and Binz have obtained —The general effects of this agent upon the nerv- the same results in this regard. The former im- ous system are obviously depressing. It reacts mediately annihilated the contractility of these upon the spinal cord when given in small quanti- cells by the addition of one-tenth of one per cent, ties, and its action extends to thebrain only when of Eucalyptol, and in fifteen minutes, by one-fif- large doses are employed. Motor apathy and in- teenth of one per cent. Artificial heat failed to disposition to mental efforts are the inseparable revive them. In this particular, Eucalyptol pro- results of the large doses in man. In animals, duces the same effects upon the leucocytes as qui- the effects are still more pronounced. Paralysis nine. of motion supervenes, the vital functions grow Another very interesting experiment was made weaker, and death ensues from sheer exhaustion. by Mees. He exposed the mesentry of a cnrarized Gimbert affirms that the mere inhalation of Euca- frog to the vapor of Eucalyptol. The circulation lyptol vapors produced paralysis in certain of the remained normal. After twenty-four, and even lower animals. Grisar and Schultz have furnished forty-three hours, there was no inflammation, nor the most striking proofs of its paralyzing effects was there any collection of white blood-corpuscles upon the reflex centers of the nervous system, by

upon the walls of the vessels, nor any emigration their experiments with brucine , the alkaloid of of them; Whereas, all these pathological changes the St. Ignatiusbean. This substance causes te- were observed in other frogs prepared in the same tanic spasms of all the voluntary muscles which way except the exposure to the action of this terminate only in deathwhen it is administered in agent. These observations havebeen fully verified comparatively small doses. But if Eucalyptolhas by Binz. Consequently Eucalyptol possesses previously been injected the brucine develops only most valuable virtues as an anti-phlogistic and as slight manifestations, and the animals experi- a powerful restraint upon suppuration. mentedupon recover their full motor powers. In- The action of Eucalyptol upon the spleen.—The troduced in this way, the two drugs antagonize analogy between the actions of Eucalyptol and each other. Since Eucalyptol is absorbed but quinine, has induced Hosier to test its efficacy in slowly, it is probably not available as an antidote reducing the volume of the spleen. His anticipa- in brucine poisoning. tions were fully realized. in his experiments he Eucalyptol in Pyaemia and Septicmnia.—lo. the made use of the extract of the leaves, by the month present state of our knowledge, we have to assume and subcutaneously. He selected dogs as subjects, that the presence of micro-organisms in the body opened the abdominal cavity and took acurate is the essential cause of pathological increase of measurements. During these experiments, the animal heat. In a way, not as yet fully under- spleens were measured every hour. In four of stood, the micro-organisms prompt the body to these tests, the results were proportionate to the peculiar reactive efforts. All the vital functions amount of the drugemployed. That is to say, the become excessive. Oxidation of tissues goes on size of the organ decreased in all its dimensions, rapidly, and the powers of life are rapidly con- its substancebecame denser and firmer, thesurface sumed in the struggle to eliminate the noxious in- assumed a slate color and more or lees covered vaders. with granulations, some of them as large as len- Theremedies administered for the purpose of tils. Hosier has elicited the same changes by the arresting the excessive and dangerous oxidation, use of quinine in a similar manner. Other exper- are known as antiseptics. The action of Encalyp- iments have verified these observations. toi places it in the front rank of thisclass ofther- Action of Eucalyptol upon the heart, blood-ves- apeutic agents; not only on account of its action sels and respiration. —Numerous experiments by upon the general system, reducing the intensity Schlaeger clearly demonstrate that the action of ofall those functions which are exci ted in the prog- the heart and the blood-pressure are diminished ress of pysemia and septiefemia, but still moreby by Eucalyptol, not only in man and in the mam- reason of its specific destructive effects upon mi- maliagenerally, but likewise in the amphibia. In cro-organisms. a frog, for instance, the action of the heart was re- The correctness of this proposition has been duced by the subcutaneous injection of one centi- verified by appropriate experiments. Siegan has gram (1-6 of a grain), from 18 per minute, at 10:37 furnished the first proof in this regard. He in- o'clock A. M., to 8 beats per minute, at 4P. M.; jected thirty grammes (nearly an ounce) of pus respiration having come to a stand-still while the in the circulation of a rabbit, and Eucalyptol in heart was still contracting 28 times to the minute. the same manner at the same time. There was Its action upon the heart and lungs explains the no rise o! temperature; on the contrary, while a conversion of arterial into venous blood underits rise of one and three-tenths degrees(C.) was oh' use. served in another rabbit, into which the same Action of Eucalyptol upon the nervous system. quantity of the same pus, ;withoutEucalyptol, had 4 LECTURE ON EUCALYPTOL.

been injected, Similar results were, obtained, by Diphtheria has been successfully treatedby Pro- the use of other morbid ferments, with and with- fessor Moeler, in- which affection it acts both as an out Eucalyptol. antiseptic and restrainer of suppuration. Moes and Schultz confirm the antiflbrilc action French physicians speakwell of Eucalyptol in of Eucalyptol by their experiments with putrid various affections of the lunge, such as asthma, materials. When Eucalyptol is brought into con- chronic catarrh, pulmonary gangrene, etc.; but tact with organic substances, their normal organ- we abstain from entering into further details be- ization remains unchanged, in spite of conditions cause of lack of space. favorable to decomposition being furnished. Mus- If we succeed in engaging the attention of the cular fibril!®, after twenty days, exhibited their American profession to such a degree as to secure normal striations. Three hundred parts of blood for Eucalyptol a fair test of its Virtues at the bed- withonly one part of Eucalyptol added, remained side we shall he amply repaid for our humble la- unchanged for ten days; the same quantity with- bors. The remedy must stand on its own merits. out Eucalyptol was putrid 'and decomposed in the We should never have devoted our time to its com- same time under otherwise the same conditions. mendation hud we not ourself derived good ser- Mees experimented with cultivated bacteriaand vice from its use, and had not men spoken in its concluded that Eucalyptol occcupi.ee the highest praise whose labors for scientific advancement en- position among antiseptics. title their utterances to the highest consideration. Schultz compared the action of Eucalyptol and We conclude our discourse with a few suggestions carbolic acid upon iibrine mixed with distilled as the form of its application and administra- water. On the eighteenth day, that mixed with tion : Eucalyptol was preserved in its normal condition, Eucalyptus Oil may be given in doses of from while the presence of carbolic acid had not pre- five to twenty drops, on sugar, or dissolved in al- vented putrescent decomposition. The same au- cohol, or in emulsion with gum arable, syrup and thor has kept a mixture of fihrine in an emulsion water. of Eucalyptol In his room for a year without no- Externally it may be applied in substance, with a. ticeable change. A great numberof experiments camel's hair brush, or its vapor may be obtained have been instituted by various authors, winch we. by pouring it on a warm plate; in solution with omit, inasmuch as they all confirm the demonstra- alcohol; or in emulsion. tions cited of the superior antiseptic virtues of As an injection in gonorrhoea, Mr. W. W. Eucalyptol over phenol, quinine and other anti- Chaync uses an emulsion made with one ounce ferments. each of Eucalyptol and gum arable in thirty or TherapeuticAvailability ofEucalyptol,-—All,an- forty ounces of water, the injection to he used four tiseptics have their special fields of usefulness, be- or five times daily (vide Clinical Kkcoro for Sep- yond which their action falls to be serviceable. tember, 1?80). Clinical observations demonstrate the benefits of Mr. Lister uses Eucalyptol with Dammar gum Eucalyptol ininfectious fevers, and in wounds and in the preparation of his “antiseptic gauze,” and ulcerations with decay Of organic structure. Its a solution of the oil with alcohol and water, in action upon the white blood corpuscles, indicates place of the old carbolized solutions, in the latest- Us power to restrain suppuration. form of his “antiseptic dressing.” It has never In the treatment of malarial fevers, Eucalyptol induced any dangerous symptoms. has already acquired a good reputation. While In bronchial and laryngeal affectations, it may be Professor Kosenstein prefers quinine in all recent used freely by inhalation, either alone or with the cases, he admits its value in chronic forms—par- vapor of water. ticularly in those which are known as “dumb In diphtheria and chronic pharyngeal catarrh, it ague,” and which are complicated with enlarged may be used in the form of a. spray, #or applied di- spleen. Other authors state that Eucalyptol has rectly to the fauces by means of a brush. been of service in cases which quinine and arsenic St. Louis, 519 Pine Street. had failed to relieve.