Possible Effect of Oil of Thyme on the Incidence of Spontaneous Cancer in Mice

Abstract

In 1932 (1), a report was made on the possible effect of natural oil of Gaultheria on the incidence of cancer. The observations suggested the possibility that small amounts of that oil in a basic diet consisting of rolled oats, meat scrap, powdered milk, and salt delayed the time at which spontaneous tumors occurred in a series of mice belonging to the highly inbred dilute brown stock. The question arose whether this observation would also apply to other of the essential oils. To test out this idea, a number of mice were given oil of thyme in addition to their otherwise standard diet. The oil was given daily, in the ratio of one drop of oil to 20 gms. of the basic oatmeal diet.