106 
ON FLUID CAMPHOR. 
nearly as bad, in stimulating tinctures, the camphor acts as 
a local acrid, inflicting pungent pain of the mucous mem- 
brane lining the alimentary passages. 
The modes of administering camphor having remained 
almost without any improvement since the days of the 
Arabian writers, caused great diversity of opinion, not only 
as to its medicinal qualities, but also its proper doses. 
Further, its action being transitory, part of its influence 
passed away from its usual formula3 before the whole drug 
became dissolved or absorbable in the stomach ; an evanes- 
cent medicine should be taken in such a ready and availa- 
ble state, that its entire agency may be promptly brought 
to bear, without waiting for the uncertain or partial delay 
of digestion in the stomach. 
It is needless to occupy time by further observations, 
it being more desirable to obtain than to ofler opinion ; but 
it may be remarked that whatever character camphor has 
enjoyed for many ages, its true medicinal value must be 
greatly enhanced, when administered in a certain, fixed, 
uniform and elegant manner, rather than the unpleasant 
and uncertain methods hitherto in use. — P harm. Jour ru 
