554 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



Fig. 239. roots, &c, into small pieces, 



boiling them in water in an 

 iron pot, which is covered 

 by an earthen vessel, con- 

 taining a straw cone. By 

 the heat, the camphor is 

 sublimed, and adheres to 

 the straw. This is the plan, 

 which, according to Ksemp- 

 fer, is used in Japan, but 

 is not adopted in China, 

 where from the accounts 

 of several writers, it ap- 

 pears that the chipped wood 

 is steeped in water, and 

 afterwards boiled, until 

 camphor begins to adhere to 

 the stick used in stirring. 

 The fluid is then strained, 

 and on cooling, the cam- 

 phor concretes. This is 

 placed in alternate layers 

 with finely pulverised dry 

 earth, in a copper basin, 

 on which another is in- 

 verted, and on the appli- 

 cation of heat the cam- 

 phor sublimes and adheres 

 to the upper vessel. 



Camphor in this state is 

 impure, and of a dirty 

 grayish colour, and forms 

 what is called Crude Camphor. This is usually in small, 

 grayish-coloured grains, which combine into crumbling 

 masses. It is refined or separated from its impurities by 

 being mixed with lime, and placed in a peculiar-shaped 

 glass vessel, called a Bombala, and sublimed ; when the 

 pure Camphor has concreted at the upper part of the 

 vessel, it is permitted to cool, when the glass is broken, 

 and the cake of Camphor removed. The Crude Japan 

 Camphor is much purer than the Chinese, and can be 

 sublimed at a much lower temperature. 

 Refined Camphor is solid, colourless, and translucent, with a crystalline 

 granular texture, a powerful and peculiar aromatic odour, and a bitterish, 

 somewhat pungent taste, succeeded by a sensation of coolness. It is easily 

 broken, but, at the same time, cannot be readily pulverised, except by the addi- 

 tion of a few drops of alcohol. It is lighter than water, and when placed on that 

 fluid keeps up a constantly rotatory motion. It is volatilized at ordinary 

 temperatures, and melts at 288°. It is very slightly soluble in water, but 

 imparts its odour to it; alcohol, ether, and the oils readily dissolve it; and 

 water charged with carbonic acid will take up a considerable portion of it. 

 Camphor is considered to be an oxide of Camphogene (C 10 H 8 ), or a solid 

 volatile oil composed of (C 10 H 8 O). 



Camphor is found in many plants, but only in two in any quantity ; one 



C. officinarum. 



Fig. 240. 



Bombala. 



