86 CIRCULATORY STIMULANTS 



menthol, or chloral hydrate, the mass becomes a liquid without un- 

 dergoing any chemical change. 

 Preparation and Doses. 



Camphor. H. 3j — iiij ; 4 — 15. D. grs. v — xxx; 0.3 — 2. 

 Spiritus Camphorw. H. §jss — iv; 30 — 120. 1). HI x — 3iv; 



0.6—16. 

 Aqua Camphorce. Seldom used in veterinary medicine. 

 Linimentum, Camphorce (20% in cottonseed oil), externally. 

 *Ceratum Camphorce (Camphor ice), externally. 



It also enters into combinations with many liniments, diarrhea 

 mixtures, etc. 



Action. Externally and locally. Camphor is a mild antiseptic 

 and insecticide. When rubbed into the skin or kept in contact with 

 the skin and evaporation prevented, camphor is an irritant, dilating 

 the blood vessels and making the part red and warm. On the other 

 hand, when applied in an alcoholic solution and allowed to evaporate, 

 it is a refrigerant and blanches the part. Camphor is irritant to 

 mucous membranes and causes them to contract. It is also irritant 

 to the subcutaneous tissues. 



Digestive System. When taken by the mouth, it produces a 

 hot, burning taste and in strong solution causes a feeling of warmth 

 to the stomach and is carminative. In excessive doses it is irritant to 

 the stomach. 



Circulatory System. Before absorption. When taken in 

 strong solution, there is a short reflex acceleration of the heart. 

 After absorption. The action of camphor after absorption is in con- 

 siderable controversy. It is generally believed that there is a mild 

 stimulation of the vagus and vasoconstrictor center and of the heart 

 muscle. In normal animals, small doses cause very .little if any 

 change in the rate or force of the heart and the output of the heart is 

 little, if any, increased. The action on the vasoconstrictor center is 

 not constant, as the stimulation may not be seen or may be intermit- 

 tent, so that there may be periods of increased blood pressure alter^ 

 nating with periods of lowered blood pressure. There is some dila- 

 tation of the cutaneous vessels, but not sufficient to affect the blood 

 pressure. According to Cushny, " The heart of man and other 

 mammals is sometimes slowed, but is generally little affected in either 

 strength or rate." This action is generally agreed upon by other 

 investigators, but some of them claim that in conditions of circula- 

 tory failure due to lack of production of normal stimulus in the 

 heart (Fibrillation), camphor may be considered as a circulatory 

 stimulant. 



In Germany, camphor is used to revive the circulation in dying 

 patients in which the automatic centers of the heart are believed to 



* Unofficial. 



