Am.  Jour  Pha.rm.  ) 
Aug.  1,  1874.  5 
The  Camphor  Trade. 
383 
H.  B.  K.,  and  Qelsia  Coromandeliana,  Vahl.  The  first  of  these  is 
regarded  by  the  Hindoos  as  a  powerful  diuretic  and  aperient ;  the 
juice  of  the  leaves,  in  conjunction  with  petroleum,  is  used  as  a  local 
application  in  rheumatism,  and  the  juice  of  the  leaves  of  the  Qelsia 
is  said  to  have  been  given  with  advantage  in  cases  of  acute  and 
chronic  dysentery. 
Small  quantities  of  the  flowers  of  Lyperia  croeea,  Eckl.,  have  occa- 
sionally been  brought  into  this  country  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
as  a  dye,  but  have  hitherto  failed  to  attract  buyers.  As  imported, 
the  flowers  have  somewhat  the  appearance  and  smell  of  saffron.  Dr. 
Pappe  in  his  "Florae  Capensis  Medicse  Prodromus,"  says:  "This 
bush  deserves  notice  as  a  drug,  and  in  all  probability  will,  ere  long, 
become  an  article  of  colonial  export.  It  grows  abundantly  in  some 
parts  of  the  Eastern  districts,  whence  it  has  found  its  way  into  the 
dispensary.  The  flowers,  which  are  called  Greele  bloemetjes,  closely 
resemble  saffron  in  smell  and  taste ;  they  possess  similar  medical  pro- 
perties, and  as  an  antispasmodic,  anodyne  and  stimulant,  ought  to 
rank  with  the  Croeus  sativus.  Here  they  have  as  yet  been  only  used 
with  success  in  the  convulsions  of  children,  but  they  deserve  a  more 
general  trial.  On  account  of  the  fine  orange  color  which  they  im- 
part, they  are  in  daily  request  among  the  Mohamedans,  who  use  them 
for  the  purpose  of  dyeing  their  handkerchiefs.  This  drug  has  been 
observed  to  be  sometimes  adulterated  by  the  admixture  of  other 
plants  of  the  same  genus,  which  are  less  efficacious." 
Amongst  plants  of  lesser  utility  belonging  to  the  same  order,  it 
will  suffice  to  mention  the  eyebright,  Euphrasia  officinalis,  a  decoc- 
tion or  infusion  of  which  is  still  occasionally  used  in  some  parts  as  a 
wash  for  disorders  of  the  eye.  It  is  astringent  and  slightly  bitter. 
The  yellow  toad  flax,  Linaria  vulgaris,  is  said  to  be  purgative,  and 
was  at  one  time  used  by  the  herb  doctors  for  the  cure  of  dropsy.  L. 
Cymbalaria,  some  species  of  Antirrhinum,  Pedieularis  palustris,  and 
P.  sylvatiea,  have  all  been  used  by  herbalists,  but  they  are  not  of 
sufficient  importance  to  call  for  further  remark. — Pharm.  Journ, 
\Lond.~\,  June  27,  1874. 
THE  CAMPHOR  TRADE. 
The  camphor  of  commerce  is  obtained  from  the  camphor  laurel, 
Camphor  a  offieinarum, which  grows  in  China,  principally  near  Chinchew, 
in  the  provine  of  Fokien,  in  the  Island  of  Formosa,  and  in  Japan. 
