Historical information

Joseph Bosisto was a Yorkshireman who had qualified as a Pharmacist in Leeds and London. He arrived in Adelaide in 1848 at the age of 21. In 1851 he moved to Victoria in search of gold, but instead opened a pharmacy in Richmond, where he built a laboratory to investigate the chemical and medicinal properties of Australian plants.

As a result of the collaboration with von Meuller the essential oil industry of Australia began in 1852, when Bosisto commenced operations in a small, rudely constructed still at Dandenong Creek, Victoria, using the leaves of a form of E. radiata (then known as E. amygdalina) which grew profusely in the district. Bosisto soon built other distilleries at Emerald, Menzies Creek and Macclesfield.
World War II soldiers packed it in their mess kits to keep foot fungus in the tropics at bay.

Physical description

Small clear glass Eucalyptus Oil bottle with metal screw lid and large label on front.

Inscriptions & markings

Front Label - War Time Pack
Back - This bottle remains property of J Bosisto &Co Pty Ltd Richmond Victoria
Bottom-F1196