CAJUPUT OIL  , a volatile obtained by

distillation from the leaves of the myrtaceous tree Melaleuca leucadendron, and probably other species . The trees yielding the oil are found throughout the Indian Archipelago, the Malay Peninsula and over the hotter parts of the Australian continent; but the greater portion of the oil is produced from Celebes Island . The name cajuput is derived from the native Kayuputi or white wood . The oil is prepared from leaves collected on a hot dry day, which are macerated in water, and distilled after fermenting for a night . This oil is extremely pungent to the taste, and has the odour of a mixture of turpentine and camphor . It consists mainly of cineol (see TERPENES), from which cajuputene having a hyacinthine odour can be obtained by distillation with phosphorus pentoxide . The drug is a typical volatile oil, and is used internally in doses of a to 3 minims, for the same purposes as, say, clove oil . It is frequently employed externally as a counter-irritant .