4 ON THE CAMPHOR 



pearance, tending to transparency. After it has been 

 washed, it is passed through three sieves of differing 

 textures, so as to be divided into head^ belly ^ and foot 

 camphor : certain proportions of each compose the 

 chests made up for the China market, where they are 

 sold for 350L sterling, nearly. The capoor* (a word 

 of Arabic origin) matee, or dead camphor, is carefully 

 separated from the three divisions, by an acuteness of 

 distinction, acquired by the eye and hand from habit 

 and attention, and, being mixed with the imperfect 

 kind mentioned above, is pounded in a mortar and 

 distributed among proportional quantities of foot cam- 

 phor. This capoor-matee is sometimes procured by 

 boiling down the thickest part of the oil, or by taking 

 the sediment of the best oil, after it has settled at 

 least twenty-four hours. Camphor-oil is found to be 

 a sovereign remedy for strains, bruises, and other ex- 

 ternal pains, from its penetrating quality in entering 

 the pores, and gently agitating the affected parts, 

 go as to quicken the stagnated circulation. The in- 

 ternal, anodyne and diaphoretic, and the externa!, 

 antispasmodic and sedative virtues of camphor are 

 well known. The oil is found to possess these \n a 

 certain degree, and to be useful in removing the 

 painful spasms of the nerves and tendons, by dissipat- 

 ing the surrounding acrid humours. When the oil fe 

 used, it must be formed into a liniment, as it would 

 alone occasion pain from its strength. The oil ap- 

 plied to sorc^ on horses has been found very bene- 

 ficial. In this case it ought to be mixed with the 



* Cdjur in Arabic, and Car pur a in Sanscrit. 



juice 



