Camphoric acid is formed by oxidation of camphor with nitric acid, and appears as a white, microcrystalline powder, very slightly soluble in water, with a faint aromatic odor and slight, saline, cam phor taste.
Camphor-chloral is merely a mixture of equal parts of gum-camphor and chloral-hydrate whereby is produced a colorless, syrupy liquid, which is soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzin, glycerin, fixed oils, and aqueous solutions of chloral; but when added to water it is decomposed, the chloral passing into solution, while the camphor is precipi tated.
Camphor-menthol is made by rubbing together equal parts of menthol and camphor whereby a clear liquid is formed. Camphor-thymol is made in the same way, precisely, as camphor menthol. Other compounds are formed in like manner of the two foregoing by combining camphor and salol and cam phor and resorcin. Camphor-oil is a crude residual product resulting from the distillation of camphor-gum.
Camphor-monobromate, or monobro mated camphor, is had by heating cam phor-gum and bromine, previously dis solved together in benzin, and then crys tallizing from hot alcohol; it is almost insoluble in water, but readily dissolves in alcohol, chloroform, ether, and fixed oils.
Camphor-salicylate may be prepared by heating together carefully 84 parts of camphor and 65 parts of salicylic acid, until a liquid, homogeneous solution is formed, which becomes a crystalline mass on cooling; this again becomes unctuous when compressed, and liquefies when rubbed on the skin. It may be obtained in definite crystals from a benzin solution. It is slightly soluble in water and glycerin, about 1 to 20 in fats or oils, and is decomposed by hot alka line solutions. By boiling with water it hydrates into an oily liquid.
Carbolized camphor, or phenol-cam phor, is had by adding 2 parts of cam phor-gum to 1 part of carbolic acid, and is a colorless, oily liquid, soluble in fixed oils, alcohol, and ether, but nearly in soluble in water and glycerin.
Preparations and Doses. — Camphor chloral, 2 to 20 minims.
Camphor, carbolized, external use only. See PHEXIC ACID.
Camphor-gum, 2 to 20 grains. Camphor-liniment (camphor, 1; olive-, peanut-, or cotton-seed oil, 4).
Camphor liniment, compound (cam phor, 20 drachms; lavender-oil, 1 drachm; strong ammonia-water, 5 ounces; rectified spirit, 15 ounces).
Camphor-menthol, 1 to 5 grains.
Camphor, monobromated (bromide of camphor), 1 to 12 grains.
Camphor-oil (crude), external use only.
Camphor, salicylated (salicylate of camphor), 1 to 5 grains.
Camphor spirit (tincture of camphor). 5 to 30 minims.
Camphor-thymol. 1 to 5 grains.
Camphorated oil (camphor. 1: sweet almond oil. 9), 5 to 60 minims.
Camphorated tincture of opium (pare goric). 30 minims to 4 drachms. See Ormt.
Camphoric acid. 5 to 30 grains.
Physiological Action. — Externally cant p 11 a r is somewhat rubefacient. readily irritating the skin. Given in ternally, it acts chiefly upon the brain, cord, and circulatory apparatus. In mall doses it increases the action of the heart and arteries: the pulse is rendered softer and fuller. It exhilarates the
spirits, and excites warmth of body, pro moting diaphoresis; but these effects are transitory and fleeting and apt to be fol lowed by depression. In larger doses it is sedative, antispasmodic, somewhat hypnotic and analgesic, and sometimes markedly anaphrodisiac. In poisonous doses it irritates the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane; induces nausea, vomiting, vertigo, delirium, maniacal ex citement, and convulsions of an epilepti form character; cardiac prostration and muscular weakness are often very pro nounced. It is antidoted by emetics, rapid-acting cathartics, and stimulants.
Case of a lady, 7S years of age, who took an unknown quantity of spirit of camphor. About an hour after taking it she became comatose, and finally ap peared to be dead. Consciousness re turned after a considerable interval, and it was found on examination that her right hand and right side of her face were paralyzed. In four weeks she was able to walk about the room with assist ance. Sonic five months later she could pick up a pin from the floor with the af flicted hand, and there was no perceptible trace of the facial paralysis. Treatment consisted of tonic doses of nttx vomica and gentle massage to the affected parts. T. B. Greenley (Amer. Bract. and News, July 15, 1900).
Camphor-chloral combines the virtues of the two drugs from which it is de rived; it is sedative, hypnotic, and nar cotic.
lionobromated camphor is moderately stimulating and diaphoretic, but is scarcely a succedanevm for other bro mides; it decidedly lowers temperature; is anodyne, antispasmodic, and narcotic; in large doses, sedative. In very large doses it depresses and weakens the heart's action.
Salicylated camphor acts very much like monobromated camphor; it is less antiseptic, however, and more analgesic. Very large doses of either this or the monobromated form induce muscular trembling and clonic convulsions.
Camphoric acid is antiseptic, some what diuretic and astringent, and anti sudorific. It is eliminated chiefly by the urine, which it renders clear and acid.
The physiological action of the other preparations is not sufficiently differ ential to require mention.
Therapeutics.—As AN ANTIGALACTA GOGUE.—The external uses of camphor are many and varied, and exemplified in almost every household. The tincture applied to the breasts of the nursing woman proves markedly antigalacta gogic: an effect which is heightened and materially aided if the same is also ad ministered at the time by the mouth.
The most desirable method is to di minish the patient's drink, administer purgatives, and place over the breasts an ointment or liniment of camphor; to also give camphor internally in doses of 1 or 2 grains, once, twice, or thrice daily. When both the external and internal treatment by camphor are resorted to, the decrease in the secretion of milk is quite remarkable. Herrgott .1.W.; Med. Age, '97):