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very slightly soluble in water ; more than 100,000 
parts of water are required to dissolve 1 part of 
camphor. It is very soluble in alcohol ; and by 
adding water in small quantities at a time to the 
solution of camphor in alcohol, the camphor sepa- 
rates in a crystallised form. It is soluble in nitric 
acid, and is separated from it by water. 
Camphor is very inflammable ; it burns with a 
bright flame, and throws oflf a great quantity of 
carbonaceous matter. It forms, in combustion, 
water, carbonic acid, and a peculiar acid called 
camphoric acid. No accurate analysis has been 
made of camphor, but it seems to approach to the 
resins in its composition ; and consists of carbon, 
hydrogene, and oxygene. 
Camphor exists in other plants besides the Lau- 
ras camphora . It is procured from species of the 
laurus growing in Sumatra, Borneo, and other of 
the East Indian isles. It has been obtained from 
Thyme ( Thymus serpillum) i Marjorum ( Origanum 
majorana ), Ginger tree ( Amomum Ringiber ), Sage 
(, Salvia officinalis'). Many volatile oils yield cam- 
phor by being merely exposed to the air. 
An artificial substance very similar to camphor 
has been formed by M. Kind, by saturating oil of 
turpentine with muriatic acid gas (the gaseous 
substance procured from common salt by the action 
of sulphuric acid). The camphor procured in 
well conducted experiments amounts to half of 
the oil of turpentine used. It agrees with com- 
mon camphor in most of its sensible properties ; 
but differs materially in its chemical qualities and 
composition. It is not soluble without decompose 
