Abstract
THIS pamphlet of 73 pages treats for the most part of medicinal products, though some consideration is also given to fodder and food-plants, essential oils, india-rubber, and various others. The first article is devoted to the Doundake (Sarcocephalus esculentus), a West African Rubiaceous plant, which has attracted some attention of late in cases of nervous paralysis. The root has been analysed by Messrs. Heckel and Schlagdenhauffen, and their analysis is given together with a reproduction of the two plates which accompanied their paper. Two new perfume oils come under consideration, namely, from Eucalyptus staigeriana and Backhousia citriodora. The first is a Queensland tree, and is known as the lemon-scented iron bark. The odour of the leaves is said to be exactly like that of the lemon-scented verbena, and the oil yielded by them is identical in fragrance with that from Andropogon citratus, or lemon-grass oil, which is imported into this country both from Ceylon and Singapore, where the plants are very extensively cultivated. Mr. Christy says that “the odour of the oil of this tree is quite different from that of Eucalyptus citriodara, which resembles, and might be substituted for, citronella oil, so extensively used for perfuming soap.” The Backhousia oil is described as being like that of Eucalyptus staigeriana, and upon being tested for scenting soaps it was found to answer well, and would probably find a ready market in this country if it could be imported at a price to compete with ordinary verbena oil. It might realise is. 4d. to 2s. per pound.
New Commercial Plants and Drugs.
By T. Christy, &c. No. 9. (London: Christy and Co., 1886.)
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Our Book Shelf . Nature 34, 335 (1886). https://doi.org/10.1038/034335a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/034335a0