374 
HISTORY OF THE DRUG CAMPHOR. 
from those of ginger, zedoary, and galangale, which belong to the order 
Scitaminece. 
“ The laurel is admired for Its noble beauty,, even in its native 
country, where a deciduous shrub is almost as rare as an evergreen is 
with us; and the useful qualities of many of the species are equal to 
their beauty. The bark of the Lanrus benzoin was used as a spice in 
the United States during the American war; the gum of this tree is 
th q frankincense of the East Indian islands, and is exported in large 
quantities to the Catholic and Mahometan countries of the west, to be 
used as incense. The benzoin tree also grows in Borneo and Sumatra, 
but is occasionally found to the south of the equator. It does not grow 
to any considerable size, and is an inhabitant of the rich moist plains, 
where it is an object of cultivation. The plants are raised from the 
seed, a small brown nut, and in their seventh year are productive. The 
gum is obtained by wounding the bark near the origin of the lower 
branches. During the first three years it is of a clear white colour; 
afterwards it becomes brown; and after ten or twelve years the tree is 
cut down, when, by scraping the wood, an ordinary gum is obtained. 
The current name of gum-benzoin, in the Indian islands, is Kcimingan. 
From it benzoic acid is extracted / 5 
We have noticed this account of camphor for the purpose of recom¬ 
mending the use of it to our readers as an insectifuge. Furniture or 
utensils made of camphor-wood are safe from the worm. Cabinets of 
natural curiosities, if camphorated, are rendered offensive to all sorts of 
larvae, and the curiosities protectedjfom their depredations. Hence a 
question suggests itself—Could camphor be useful in any way to the 
gardener? Would it offend and banish wood-lice from frames ? or, if a 
frame were strongly camphorated, would its effluvia free infected hot¬ 
house or greenhouse plants from red acarus, or thrips, or other insects 
living upon them, if set for a few days in such frame ? Experiments 
may be made to ascertain the effect of such a powerful vermifuge, 
and some useful discovery made, perhaps, to recompense the experi¬ 
mentalist. 
How it may be applied is another question. In cabinets, we believe, 
little grooves are made in the interior of the drawers, in which small 
pieces of camphor, in the state of gum, are placed, which are found 
effectual in keeping away the small insects so troublesome to collectors; 
and, as oil of camphor or camphorated spirits are purchaseable, in 
either state, perhaps, the remedy may be more conveniently applied: 
or, again, perhaps a small box of the gum, or an open bottle of the 
spirits, set in any place where needed, might prove a defence. 
These observations are thrown out with the view r of calling attention 
