Summary

This seminal 1881 work by Otto Wallach presents the first detailed chemical analysis of the essential oil of *Eucalyptus globulus*. Wallach's central thesis is the identification and characterization of its primary volatile components, particularly eucalyptol (later identified as 1,8-cineole). Through rigorous fractional distillation and chemical reactions, he isolates and proposes structures for these constituents.

The book details Wallach's experimental procedures for separating the oil's components and outlines his findings on their physical and chemical properties. Readers gain insight into the early methodologies of organic chemistry and natural product analysis, specifically focusing on the volatile compounds responsible for the characteristic aroma and presumed medicinal properties of eucalyptus oil.

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Key concepts

Fractional Distillation — A technique used to separate components of a liquid mixture based on their different boiling points.
Eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) — The primary cyclic ether identified by Wallach as a major constituent of eucalyptus essential oil.
Terpenes — A class of organic compounds, many of which are volatile and found in essential oils, like those Wallach began to characterize.
Chemical Characterization — The process of determining the structure and properties of a chemical substance through various analytical methods.