690 ORD. XL. Oleracee. LAURUS CAMPHORA. 
found another method of cure generally successful; but I take this occasion 
to mention its external use, as often of great service in removing the rheumatic 
pains of the joints or muscles. This we have often experienced, and have no doubt 
of Camphire having a peculiar power in taking off the infiiammatory state in- cases 
both of rheumatism and gout. In the case of rheumatism it is a matter of common 
experience: in the case of gout it is more rare; but I have had the following 
particular example of it. A gentleman had brought from the East Indies an oil of 
Camphire, a native substance, which seemed, by its taste and smell, to be no other 
than Camphire in that form, and which I perceive to be mentioned by naturalists 
as a native substance, produced by several trees in the East Indies. This the 
person possessed of recommended to all his acquaintances as an infallible remedy 
for the gout and rheumatism; and a gentleman who had often laboured under the 
gout, and then felt the pains of it unusually severe, was persuaded to apply it. 
He. had then the gout pet sad in the = of the great toe and instep of 
one foot. On this part-+rerabbeta quan of the oil of Ca 
half an hour or a littic more ie was ands ‘reed from ths pain he had before. 
In less, however, than an hour after, he had a pain and inflammation come upon 
the same part of the other foot. As the pain here became pretty severe, he again 
employed the oil of Camphire, and with the same cifect of soon relieving the pain 
very entirely. The consequence of this was also the same; for in less than an hour 
the pain and inflammation returned to the foot that had been first affected: and 
here again our patient, obstinate in persisting in the trial of his remedy, again 
applied the oil, and he had the same success as before in relieving the part affected, 
and with the same effect also of occasioning a translation. But here the translation 
being made to the knee, the patient abstained from any farther application of the 
oi], and suffered the pain of the knee to remain for a day or two, and till it went 
off by some swelling and desquamation in the usual manner. 
“ This history shows sufficiently the power of Camphire in relieving the inflam- 
matory spasm and pain of the part chiefly affected; but at the same time that it has 
no effect on the diathesis of the system, and that, when that subsists, as Camphire 
is ready to occasion a translation, it will always be employed in gouty cases with 
great danger, In cases of acute rheumatism, we have had occasion to remark, that 
a strong solution of Camphire in oil would relieve the pain of the joint for the time 
chiefly affected; but it was very often with the translation of it to another joint 
soon after: and we have therefore long ago ceased from employing such an appli- 
_cation in all cases where an acute rheumatism was very general and strong in the 
system. 
‘¢ It may be supposed that it is analogous to this power of Camphire i in taking 
off an inflammatory state, that this medicine has been often found so useful in 
relieving toothach; and J] have no doubt that Camphite operates by the power 
