Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Dec,  1887. 
Powdered  Camphor. 
599 
aggregation  of  the  finely  divided  particles  again  takes  place,  with  the 
formation  of  small,  irregular,  granular  crystals,  some  of  which,  by  the 
heat  of  the  room  where  kept,  sublime  against  the  sides  and  top  of  the 
bottle,  opposite  the  light. 
Some  years  ago,  Mr.  Henry  F.  Fish  recommended  a  five  per  cent, 
addition  of  magnesium  carbonate,  made  by  pouring  an  alcoholic  solu- 
tion of  camphor  into  water  containing  suspended  magnesium  carbon- 
ate, collecting  the  precipitate  on  a  filter,  and  drying.  Independently 
of  the  increased  cost,  it  has  been  found  that  such  procedure  merely 
retards  and  does  not  prevent  subsequent  crystallization.  The  same 
objection  also  exists  against  precipitating  the  tincture  with  water; 
triturating  with  an  equal  weight  of  sugar ;  adding  precipitated  calcium 
phosphate ;  grating  and  sifting,  or  subliming,  with  conduction  of  the 
vapor  into  large  air  chambers,  and  condensing.  The  products  formed 
may  be  most  excellent  at  first,  but  as  far  as  the  writer's  experience 
goes,  the  secondary  change  always  follows. 
For  some  months  past,  a  method  has  been  pursued  which  has 
yielded  the  most  satisfactory  of  results  yet  obtained,  and  a  sample  of 
the  powder,  made  in  the  early  part  of  last  July,  still  retains  its  finely 
divided  form,  with  no  granulation  of  crystals  whatever.  The  plan 
adopted  is  a  very  simple  one,  consisting,  first,  in  reducing  the  stea- 
ropten  to  pulverulency  in  a  mortar,  with  the  aid  of  a  small  quantity  of 
a  solvent,  such  as,  for  example,  alcohol  or  ether,  triturating  to  thorough 
dryness,  and  then  adding  five  per  cent,  of  petrolatum,  admixing  well. 
A  sample  of  the  powder,  as  thus  made,  is  here  presented  for  your 
inspection.  You  will  observe  that  it  is  a  finely  divided  yellowish- 
tinted  powder;  strongly  characteristic  in  odor;  quickly  dissolving 
when  placed  on  the  tongue,  with  a  very  warm,  pungently  bitter  taste, 
and  showing  all  the  other  properties  of  the  drug.  The  proportion  of 
the  unctuous  paraffin  solid  present,  harmless  in  itself,  is  too  small  to 
have  any  influence  upon  the  dosage,  and  yet  sufficiently  large  to  pre- 
vent subsequent  crystallization.  On  standing  for  a  short  time,  moder- 
ate caking  takes  place,  but  no  crystallization  ensues.  If  a  lump  be 
now  placed  on  the  hand,  and  slight  pressure  applied,  it  readily  breaks 
down  into  a  fine,  velvety  powder.  It  is,  therefore,  admirably  adapted 
for  general  use  in  powders  despite  its  caking  tendency,  and  is  especially 
applicable  in  the  extemporaneous  preparation  of  camphor  ointments 
or  camphoraceous  suppositories.  It  might  also  be  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  camphor  containing  catarrh-snuff  powders. 
