68  POWDERED  CAMPHOR  AS  A  PHARMACEUTICAL  PREPARATION. 
ON  POWDERED  CAMPHOR  AS  A  PPIARMACEUTICAL 
PREPARATION. 
By  Henrt  F.  Fish,  of  Waterbury,  Conn. 
To  the  question,  "  What  is  the  most  eligible  method  of  keep- 
ing camphor,  in  the  form  of  powder,"  I  am  prepared  to  give 
such  an  answer  only  as  my  own  experience  prompts;  but  to 
another  question,  What  is  the  best  method  of  obtaining  Cam- 
phor in  the  form  of  powder,*'  I  can  give  a  direct  answer. 
Take  of  Refined  Camphor,  ^xvj.  Troy. 
Carbonate  of  Oxide  of  Magnesium,  ^j. 
Alcohol,  sp.  gr,  -818  Oij. 
Water,  Oviij. 
Dissolve  the  camphor  in  the  alcohol.  Triturate  the  magne- 
sia, in  a  porcelain  mortar,  with  as  much  water  as  will  enable 
the  mixture  to  blend  freely  with  the  8  pints  of  water  ;  agitate 
the  whole  in  a  suitable  wide.mouthed  bottle  until  the  magnesia 
is  thoroughly  difi'used ;  add  to  this  the  spirits  of  camphor,  in  a 
thin,  slow  stream,  constantly  stirring  the  fast-thickening  mixture. 
A  dense,  white,  curdy  separate  ensues,  which  gradually  condenses 
and  rises  to  the  upper  strata  of  the  alcohol  and  water.  This 
may  be  collected  in  a  paper  filter,  where  it  parts  readily  with 
its  moisture.  The  camphor,  now  in  a  state  of  minute  division, 
should  not  be  pressed  or  much  disturbed,  but  should  be  suffered 
to  dry  gradually ;  the  mass  may  be  cut  into  small  pieces  to 
promote  desiccation. 
If  the  process  has  been  skilfully  conducted,  and  the  camphor 
allowed  to  part  with  its  moisture  spontaneously,  without  com- 
pacting itself,  it  now  appears  in  the  form  of  a  light,  dry, 
somewhat  spongy  mass,  yielding  to  the  pressure  of  the  fingers, 
and  capable  of  being  reduced  to  a  fine  powder  readily  and 
rapidly.  I  have  preserved  camphor  in  this  condition,  for  two 
years,  simply  excluding  the  light ;  if  it  is  exposed  to  the  light, 
it  gradually  sublimes  and  condenses  to  a  small  extent  only. 
All  risk  of  this  kind  may  be  entirely  obviated  by  leaving  the 
camphor  rather  moist  than  dry  when  bottled.  In  dispensing,  I 
have  used  no  other  form  of  camphor  for  a  year  or  more. 
The  magnesia  should  bo  of  that  form  known  in  market  as 
S.S.    The  quantity  is  so  minute,  being  only  one  grain  in  128, 
