Bergamot Camphor, or Bergaptene, is a product of the bergamot tree, a member of the Citrus genus, cultivated principally at Reggio, in Calabria. From the full-grown but still unripe fruit, gathered in November and December, an essential oil is expressed. For a period of some weeks after its extraction, the oil gradually deposits a mass of white greasy matter, which, -when distilled with water, produces bergamot camphor.
Cincebene Camphor is obtained from the essential oil of a variety of the wormseed, which grows especially about the Don and Volga, and in the Kirghiz deserts.
Cubebs Camphor, or Hydrate of Cubebene, is a deposit formed in cold weather frorn the oil of cubebs.
Neroli Camphor.—The fresh flowers of the bitter orange, when distilled with water in copper stills, yield an essential oil, most of which passes over on redistillation: the addition of an equal quantity of alcohol to the portion remaining in the still causes a little Neroli camphor to collect on the surface. By re-solution in boiling alcohol, it can be produced in a crystalline form.
Orris Camphor is the solid crystalline substance obtained by the distillation of orris root with water.
Patchouli Camphor.—The sub6tance known in perfumery and pharmacy under this name is homo logous with Borneo camphor. It is solid; fuses at about 54° (130° F.), and boils at 293° (563° F.); its specific gravity is 1.051 at 4° (40° F.); it is insoluble in water, but readily soluble in alcohol and ether ; it crystallizes in hexagonal prisms ;, finally, it is a left-handed rotary sub stance, while Borneo camphor is right-banded.
Sassafras Camphor in yielded as a crystalline deposit, by cooling, in a freezing mixture, the volatile oit procured from the roots and bark of the sassafras shrub of America.
Thyme, Camphor of, or Thymol, is a crystalline product of the fractional distillation of essential oil of thyme.
Tobacco Camphor, or Nicotiania, is produced by (listilling tobacco leaves with water.
Camphor Oils : a. Malayau.—During the collection of the camphor from the Malayan camphor tree, that is while the tree is being cut up, an oil drips from it in considerable quantities. Sorne times it is obtained also by tapping the living trees ; but is- not considered of sufficient.value to
warrant the destruction of the tree. The method of gathering this oil, as practised by the natives of Sumatra, is to make a transverse incision in the tree to a depth of nome inches, the cut sloping downwards so as to form a cavity of the capacity of about a quart. In this, a lighted reed is placed for about ten minutes, and the hole is left for the night, when it becomes filled with the oil. This volatile oil, known as Borneen, holds in solution a resin, which, after a few days' exposure to the air, is left in a syrupy ntate. It is probably camphor in an undeveloped state, as the tree would yield camphor if left. It is seldom brought to market, probably because the price obtained is not a sufficient remuneration for the trouble of transport. Whenever it is offered at Barus, the usual price is a guilder (1s. Sd.) for an ordinary quart bottleful.
b. Formosan.—This is 21 yellowish brown, oily, or uncrystallizahle camphor, which exudes from the cases of crude common carnphor, to the extent of 3 or 4 per cent. It is very strong smelling, and holds in solution an abundance of common camphor, which it speedily deposits in crystals when exponcd to a low temperature. Its symbol is C,,,H,G0 ; its density is 0.910. By exposure to oxygen, or the action of nitric acid, it absorbs oxygen and becomes solid camphor. It is much used by the Chinese as an embrocation, especially in rheumatic diseases, and will probably soon be a valuable European import as a cheap substitute for Lin. Camphorce. It is scarcely saleable on the spot, and is considered much inferior to the Malayan camphor oil, from which it is distinguished by an odour of sassafras. In Japan, the oil is expressed from the camphor, and is employed as a lighting material by the very poor people, who are content to burn it in open lamps, in npite of its powerful odour. and heavy smoke. A recent native Japanese paper says that a resident at Osaka has built a large factory for preparing this oil,—not for making oil out of camphor, as Nature says— which has proved superior to kerosene, both in cheapness and illuminating power.
(See Drugs ; Inks ; Oils; Perfumes; Resinous Substances.)