AROMATHERAPY

History

AustralianAboriginalsuse eucalyptus leaf infusions (which contain eucalyptus oil) as a traditionalmedicinefor treating body pains,sinuscongestion,fever, andcolds.

Dennis ConsidenandJohn White, surgeons on theFirst Fleet, distilled eucalyptus oil fromEucalyptus piperitafound growing on the shores ofPort Jacksonin 1788 to treat convicts and marines.Eucalyptus oil was subsequently extracted by early colonists, but was not commercially exploited for some time.

BaronFerdinand von Mueller, Victorian botanist, promoted the qualities of Eucalyptus as adisinfectantin "fever districts", and also encouragedJoseph Bosisto, aMelbournepharmacist, to investigate the commercial potential of the oil.Bosisto started the commercial eucalyptus oil industry in 1852 nearDandenong,Victoria, Australia, when he set up a distillation plant and extracted theessential oilfrom the cineolechemotypeofEucalyptus radiata. This resulted in the cineole chemotype becoming the generic 'oil of eucalyptus', and "Bosisto's Eucalyptus Oil" still survives as a brand.

French chemist,F. S. Cloez, identified and ascribed the nameeucalyptol — also known ascineole — to the dominant portion ofE. globulusoil.By the 1870s oil fromEucalyptus globulus, Tasmanian blue gum, was being exported worldwide and eventually dominated world trade, while other higher quality species were also being distilled to a lesser extent.Surgeonswere using eucalyptus oil as anantisepticduringsurgeryby the 1880s.

The Australian eucalyptus oil industry peaked in the 1940s, the main area of production being the central goldfields region of Victoria, particularlyInglewood; then the global establishment of eucalyptus plantations fortimberresulted in increased volumes of eucalyptus oil as a plantation by-product. By the 1950s the cost of producing eucalyptus oil in Australia had increased so much that it could not compete against cheaper Spanish and Portuguese oils (closer to European Market therefore less costs). Non-Australian sources now dominate commercial eucalyptus oil supply, although Australia continues to produce high grade oils, mainly from blue mallee (E. polybractea) stands.

Reference:Wikipedia