Ramel, Prosper Vincent Izart (1807 - 1880)
Born 21 September 1807 in Floor, France; died 23 November 1880 in
23 November 1880
Carcassonne, France (aged 73).
The son of François Ramel, and Catherine Viguier.
He arrived in Australia in 1854 as a merchant and became interested in eucalypts under the influence of Ferdinand von Muller.
In 1856, Prosper Ramel drew public attention in Europe to the immense value of Eucalyptus globulus as forest species.
The following year, returning from his first trip to Australia, he brought seeds. These seeds of Eucalyptus globulus were sown in the nurseries of Hamma, a garden in Algiers, in the spring of 1861 as well as in the gardens of Hyères and in Corsica.
Prosper Ramel visited Australia several times. Through his numerous publications, he encouraged the cultivation of this tree, first in Algeria and then on the Mediterranean coast.
He promoted its action on malaria "combatting the toxic emanations released by the marshes that gave birth to malaria". He also highlighted the properties of this tree such as cigars and cigarettes, eucalypt oil and eucalyptus pills.
In 1874, at the World's Fair in Vienna, Austria, the international jury awarded him the medal of progress, the highest distinction he was able to have, for the great service rendered to Algeria and in the south of France by introducing Eucalyptus globulus.
Mueller commemorated Ramel in two plant
names, Goodenia ramelii and Eucalyptus rameliana.
In 2012 Alex George wrote (abbreviated):
"In the Economic Botany Collection at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a box containing seven cigars rolled from juvenile leaves of the Australian blue gum,
Eucalyptus globulus. They were sent to Kew by Ferdinand Mueller. ... The cigars, 8-11 cm
long, are tightly rolled, tied with fine
cotton.
Some correspondence on the
subject survives between Mueller and Prosper Vincent Ramel of Paris,
who was interested in commercial production. Ramel met Mueller and later appointed him as his
attorney to act on his behalf in Australia.
On his return to France,
Ramel investigated the establishment of plantations of Eucalyptus globulus in southern
France and Algeria.
Patents or their equivalent were taken out in Ramel's name for the use of eucalypts and
related plants in London and the Australian colonies. ...
'to make, use, exercise, and vend, ... an invention
for preparing the leaves and bark of plants belonging to the genus Eucalyptus, and other plants of the
family of the Myrtaceae, for the purpose of using them as tobacco, cigars, and snuff. ... The invention
consists in the utilisation of the leaves and bark of Eucalypti and other myrtaceous plants for all purposes
for which tobacco is now used. Plants of that class do not contain the injurious substances which are found
in the tobacco plant, all the constituents of the former being totally innocuous and inoffensive.
The leaves
of these plants are pleasant to the taste and smell, after the juices they contain have been expressed, and
after their essential oil is evaporated. Their ashes possess neither corrosive nor astringent properties, and
they do not affect in any way the mucous parts of the palate or throat, or the gums, or enamel of the teeth.
Their smoke, when burnt, contains no injurious vapors. ...'
On 29 November 1869, Ramel wrote to Mueller from Paris.
He was apparently replying to a letter from Mueller that has not been traced. After
discussing various botanical matters and people he wrote that he was preparing to leave for
Marseille to seek locations for growing E. globulus in plantations, and hoped to do the same
in Algeria. He went on:
'Cigars thank you. I have made a very important observation in my trip to Cannes The
leaves I took from there are making capital ones far better in taste than any I had. So that I entend
[sic] to procure the plantation of thousands of ... [sic] Their efficacity is wonderful just this
morning having yesterday taken cold in the breath at Baillon's because I had taken out a small white
silk cravatte
I was this morning suffering by a soar [sic] throat I have taken a Cigar in writing these lines
I have expectorated a great deal and the pain & facility of respiration or circulation has been as per
enchantment'
It would seem that Ramel did not proceed to production of cigars."
Source: Extracted from:
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosper_Ramel
https://hussein-dey-forever.over-blog.com/2017/10/1861-prosper-ramel-introduit-l-eucalyptus-en-algerie.html
https://fenix.letras.ulisboa.pt ; /2021SSMedicineFinalVersion.pdf
Eucalyptus Acclimatisation for Fighting Malaria
Universidade de Lisboa
https://floure.fr/prosper-ramel/
George, Alex,
'Eucalypt cigars, Ferdinand Mueller and Prosper Vincent Ramel': Archives of Natural History (2012); 39(2) 347-9.pdf
Portrait Photo: seeking portrait.
