200 3 DIPTEROCARDP EA. 
_ than laurel camphor, and can be given in much larger doses 
than the latter without causing untoward cerebral symptoms. 
Description and chemical composition.—Borneo . 
camphor, also termed by chemists Borneol or Camphyl alcohol, 
is somewhat harder than common camphor, also a little heavier, 
so that it sinks in water. It is less volatile, and does not 
crystallize on the interior of the bottle in which it is kept; and 
it requires for fusion a higher temperature (198° C.). It has a 
- somewhat different odour, resembling that of common camphor, 
with the addition of patchouli or ambergris. The composition 
of Borneol is represented by the formula C!° H'® O. It may 
be converted by the action of nitric acid into common camphor, 
conversely, as Berthelot has shown, Borneol may be prepared 
from common camphor by heating the latter with ‘alcoholie 
otash, The artificial Borneol has the same composition as the 
natural article, but differs in optical power, and has therefore 
been termed Uamphol. (Pharmacographia.) An alcoholic solu- 
tion of Borneol examined by Dr. Lyon of Bombay proved to 
be 124° dextrogyre. Besides camphor, the Dryobalanops 
furnish a liquid termed camphor oil, which must not be con- 
founded with the camphor oil that drains out of crude laurel 
camphor. This Bornean or Sumatran Camphor oil is called 
Borneene, and is isomeric with oil of turpentine, C'° H'%, yet 
in the crude state, holding in solution Borneo] and resin. 
By fractional distillation it may be separated into two pot- 
tions, the one more volatile than the other, but not differing 
_ in composition. (Pharmacographia.) 
~ According to Dr. Beckman laurel camphor may be conver ted 
into Borneo camphor in the following manner :—The camphor 
is dissolved in ether or some other solvent indifferent to the 
action of sodium, and repeatedly treated with sodium and 
_ sthen with water. The reaction is shown by the equation— 
2 C'°H" O + Na = C'9 H'5 Na O + (10 A!” Na O. 
_- These sodium compounds yre decomposed by water with the 
PS = 
ba eae 
Se PT IS RS aM 
‘. formation of molecular quantities of camphor and borne0!: — 
as 
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