CAMPHOR 521 



So-called Solid Volatile Oils or Stearoptens. 



Camphora. Camphor. C,oH,eO. (U. S. & B. P.) 



Synonym. — Gum camphor, laurel camphor, E.; camphre, 

 Fr.; kampfer, G. 



A stearopten (having the nature of a ketone) obtained 

 from Cinnamomum Camphora (Linne) Nees et Ebermaier 

 {nat. ord. Laurinese), and purified by sublimation. 



Habitat. — China, Japan, Cochin China and Sunda 

 Islands. 



Properties. — White, translucent masses, of a tough con- 

 sistence and a crystalline structure, readily pulverizable in 

 the presence of a little alcohol, ether, or chloroform ; having 

 a penetrating, characteristic odor, and a pungently aromatic 

 ta^te. Spec. gr. 0.995. Very sparingly soluble in water, but 

 readily soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, carbon disul- 

 phide, benzin, and in fixed and volatile oils, and milk. 

 When camphor is triturated, in about molecular proportions, 

 with menthol, thymol, phenol, or chloral hydrate, liquefac- 

 tion ensues. On exposure to the air it evaporates, and when 

 moderately heated, it sublimes without leaving a residue. 



Composition. — "A stearopten is a solid crystalline sub- 

 stance separated from any volatile oil on long standing or at 

 low temperature." Camphor is a stearopten and is chemi- 

 cally an oxidation product of a terpene, — the principal con- 

 stituent of all volatile oils. A terpene is a hydrocarbon 

 containing 10 atoms of carbon, and the terpene (CioHig) from 

 which camphor is derived is isomeric with that of oil of 

 turpentine and many other volatile oils. 



Dose.—R.. 3 i.-iii. (4.-12.) ; C, 3 ii.-iv. (8.-15.) ; Sh. & Sw., 

 gr.xv.- 3 i. (1.-4) ; D., gr.iii.-xx. (.18-1.3). 



PREPARATIONS. 



Aqua CamphorcB. Camphor Water. (U. S. & B. P.) 



Triturate camphor, 8, with alcohol, 5, and precipitated calcium 

 phosphate, 5 ; then with water to make 1000. Filter. (U. S. P.) 

 Dose. — Ad. lib. 



