510 LAURACE^. 



LAURACE^. 



CAMPHORA. 



CaTnphor^ Common Camphor, Laurel Camphor ; F, Camphre ; 



G. Campher. 



Botanical Origin — Cinnamomuini Camphora Fr. Nees et Eber- 

 maier {Laurus Camp>hora L., Camphora ojfficinaruvi C. Bauh.), the 

 Camphor tree or Camphor Laurel is widely diffused, being found 

 throughout Central China and in the Japanese Islands. In China it 

 abounds principally in the eastern and central provinces, as in Che- 

 kiang, Fokien and Kiangsi ; but it is wanting, according to Gamier 

 (1868), in Yunnan and Szechuen. It is plentiful, on the other hand, 

 in the island of Formosa, where it covers the whole line of mountains 

 from north to south, up to an elevation of 2000 feet above the level of 

 the sea. It flourishes in tropical and subtropical countries, and forms 

 a large and handsome tree in sheltered spots in Italy as far north as 

 the Lago Maggiore. The leaves are small, shining, and glaucous be- 

 neath, and have long petioles ; the stem affords excellent timber, much 

 prized on account of its odour for making clothes' chests and drawers 

 of cabinets, 



Dryobalanops arom^atica, the camphor tree of Borneo and Sumatra, 

 yields a peculiar camphor, which we shall describe further on. 



History — The two kinds of Camphor afforded by the two trees just 

 named have always been regarded by the Chinese as perfectly distinct 

 substances, and in considering the history of camphor tiiis fact must be 

 borne in mind. 



On perusing the accounts of Laurel Camphor given by Chinese 

 writers,- the remarkable fact becomes apparent, that although the tree 

 was evidently w^ell known in the 6th century, and probably even earliei-, 

 and is specially noticed on account of its valuable timber, no mention 

 is made in connexion with it of any such substance as caviphor. 



Le-she-chin, the author of the celebrated herbal Pun-isao-haiig- 

 muh, written in the middle of the 16th century, was well acquainted 

 with the two sorts of camphor, — the one produced by the camphor 

 laurel of his own country, the other imported from the Malay islands ; 

 and he narrates how the former was prepared by boiling the wood, 

 and refined by repeated dry sublimations. 



Marco Polo, towards the end of the 13th century, saw the forests of 

 Fokien in South-eastern China, in which, says he, are many of the 

 trees which give camphor.* It would thus appear that Laurel Camphor 

 was known as early as the time of Marco Polo, yet it is certain that 

 the more ancient notices which we shall now quote have reference to 



^ The word Camphor, generally written latecl and kindly placed at our disposal by 



by old Latin authors Caphura, and by Mr. A. Wylie. Dr. Bretschneider of Pekin 



English Camphire, is derived from the and Mr. Pauthier of Paris (see p. 494, note 



Arabic Kdfur, which in turn is supposed to 7,) have also been good enough to aid us in 



come from the Sanskrit Kurpdra, signify- the same manner. 



ing ivhite. ^Y\\\g, Book of Rer Marco Polo, ii. (1871) 



^ Passages from several have been trans- 185. 



