118 CAMPHOR. 
interstices of the perpendicular fibres, and in veins of 
the wood; in the crevices and knots, in the pith, and in 
the roots. The modes by which it is extracted differ 
in different countries. In Borneo and Sumatra, the 
largest pieces are picked out with sharp instruments ; 
and the smaller ones are procured by rasps, to which, 
along with bits of wood and other impurities, they ad- 
here. The Chinese cut off the branches, chop them 
very small, and place them in spring water for some 
days. They then put them into a kettle, and boil them for 
a certain time, during which they keep constantly stir- 
ring them with a stick. As soon as the camphor, in a white 
and frosted appearance, is observed to adhere to the 
stick, the whole is strained. The liquor is subsequently 
poured into a basin, and, after some hours, the camphor 
coagulates into a solid mass- 
In Japan it is usual to obtain camphor by cutting the 
roots and extremities of the branches into chips, and 
exposing them to the steam of water in close vessels. 
In other countries the roots, wood, and leaves, are all 
boiled in large iron pots, having a kind of tubular appa- 
ratus, which is stuffed with straw, and leads to certain 
large vessels called receivers. In this operation most 
of the camphor becomes condensed in a solid form 
amongst the straw ; and the remainder passes with the 
water into the receiver. 
In a crude state camphor is formed into irregular 
lumps of yellowish grey colour, somewhat resembling 
nitre, or saltpetre. It is imported into Europe in canis- 
ters ; and the refining of it was long kept a secret by 
the Venetians. The Dutch have since performed this 
work ; and large quantities of camphor are now also 
refined by some of the English chemists. The best 
camphor is imported from Sumatra. 
The principal use of this drug is in medicine ; and it 
was formerly in high repute. Dr. Cullen says that it 
has been employed with advantage in fevers of almost 
all kinds : but, since the free use of opium has been in- 
troduced, camphor has been little employed in this 
