It appears to have been in the first half of the 17. century that cascarilla bark was imported into Europe from the Bahama islands where the Croton Elutaria, Bennett is indigenous.1) The aborigines of these islands used the bark for fumigating purposes and as admixture to tobacco. Toward the end of the same century, cascarilla bark was used medicinally in Germany. In the pharmaceutical price ordinance of Minden of 1691, it is enumerated as Cortex Chinae de China nova, and in that of 1694 as Cortex Chinas novae seu Schacorillae.2)

Cascarilla oil is first mentioned in the Taxa universalis, Nuernberg 1747, as Oleum Schaquerillae3) Statements concerning the yield and its specific gravity are made by Tromms-dorff4) in 1838.