518 LAURACE^. 



Motley in cutting down a tree in Labuan in May, 1851, pierced a reser- 

 voir in the trunk from which about five gallons of camphor oil were 

 obtained, though much could not be caught.^ The liquid was a volatile 

 oil holding in solution a resin, which after a few days' exposure to the 

 air, was left in a syrupy state. This camphor oil, which is termed Bor- 

 neene, is isomeric with oil of turpentine, C^''H^'', yet in the crude state 

 holding in solution borneol and resin. By fractional distillation, it may 

 be separated into two portions, the one more volatile than the other but 

 not differing in composition. 



Camphor Oil of Formosa, which has been already referred to as 

 draining out of the crude camphor of Cinnamoiniim Camphora, is a 

 brown liquid holding in solution an abundance of common camphor, 

 which it speedily deposits in crystals when the temperature is slightly 

 reduced. From Borneo Camphor Oil it may be distinguished by its 

 odour of sassafras. We find no optical difference in the rotatory power 

 of the oils; both are dextrogyre to the same extent, which is still the 

 case if the camphor from the lauraceous camphor oil is separated by 

 cooling. Borneo camphor oil, for a sample of which we are indebted to 

 Prof, de Vriese, deposits no camphor even when kept at -15° C. 



Ngai CamjJihor, Bhmiea Cairqyhor — It has been known for many 

 years that the Chinese are in the habit of using a third variety of 

 camphor, having a pecuniary value intermediate between that of common 

 camphor and of Borneo camphor. This substance is manufactured at 

 Canton and in the island of Hainan, the plant from which it is obtained 

 being Bluraea halsamifera DC, a tall herbaceous Comiposita, of the 

 tribe Inuloidew, called in Chinese Ngai, abundant in Tropical Eastern 

 Asia. 



The drug has been supplied to us'^ in two forms, — crude and pure, — 

 the first being in crystalline grains of a dirty white, contaminated with 

 vegetable remains ; the second in colourless crystals as much as an 

 inch in length. By sublimation the substance may be obtained in 

 distinct, brilliant crystals, agreeing precisely with those of Borneo 

 camphor, which they also resemble in odour and hardness, as well 

 as in being a little heavier than water and not so volatile as common 

 camphor. 



The chemical examination of Ngai camphor, performed by Plowman,^ 

 under the direction of Prof Attfield, has proved that it has the composi- 

 tion C'"H^*0, like Borneo camphor. But the two substances differ in 

 optical properties,* an alcoholic solution of Ngai camphor being levogyre 

 in about the same degree that one of Borneo camphor is dextrogye. By 

 boiling nitric acid, Borneo camphor is transformed into common 

 {dextrogyre) camphor, whereas Ngai camphor affords a similar yetlevogyre 

 camphor, in all probability identical with the stearoptene of Chrysam- 

 themum Partheniuni Pers. 



As Ngai camphor is about ten times the price of Formosa camphor, 

 it never finds its way to Europe as an article of trade. In China it is 

 consumed partly in medicine and partlj^ in perfuming the fine kinds of 



^ Ibn Khurdadbah in the 9th century Canton. — Hanbury,iS'c8V«c^Pa;)f?'6, 189.393. ; 

 mentions it as being obtained in this way. ^ Fhann. Journ. March 7, 1874. 710. 



^ Through the courtesy of Mr. F. H. * Fliickiger in Phann. Journ. April 18, 



Ewer, of the Imperial Maritime Customs, 1874. 829. 



