620  Physiological  Action  of  Borneol.  {'^"'•Sec.aS^'""' 
THE  PHYSIOLOGICAL  ACTION  OF  BORNEOL.^ 
By  Ralph  Stockmann. 
This  paper  is  an  account  of  a  very  complete  investigation  of  the 
pharmacology  of  three  substances,  viz.  Borneo  Camphor/'  Ngai 
Camphor/'  and  a  body  prepared  artificially  from  oil  of  turpentine. 
These  are  identical  in  chemical  composition,  and  possess  the  formula 
CioH^gO ;  they  differ,  however,  in  their  action  on  polarized  light.  For 
comparison  the  pharmacology  of  ordinary  laurel  camphor  (CioH^gO) 
and  menthol  (CioHgyO)  was  also  investigated.  The  result  shows  a 
general  similarity  of  action  in  the  different  members  of  this  "  cam- 
phor group,"  agreeing  in  all  essential  points  with  our  previous  knowl- 
edge of  camphor,  but  by  placing  that  knowledge  on  an  experimental 
basis,  Dr.  Stockmann's  researches  may  do  something  towards  increas- 
ing the  usefulness  of  a  drug  possessing  valuable  therapeutic  proper- 
ties, but  which  is  apt  to  be  looked  upon  as  obsolete  for  any  active  pur- 
pose. 
Frogs,  rabbits,  guinea-pigs,  cats  and  dogs  were  all  poisoned  by  the 
drugs,  the  symptoms  being  those  of  a  gradually  deepening  paralysis, 
affecting  brain  first,  then  medulla,  spinal  cord,  and  finally  the  motor 
nerves.  In  mammalia  the  encephalon  was  chiefly  involved,  convul- 
sions, resembling  epilepsy,  being  produced  (most  typically  in  cats)  by 
doses  of  two  to  three  grams.  Smaller  doses  caused  symptoms  sim- 
ilar to  those  of  alcoholic  intoxication.  'No  convulsions  were  pro- 
duced after  removal  of  the  cerebral  cortex  in  rabbits. 
On  the  heart  of  the  frog. — Williams's  apparatus  being  used,  the  fre- 
quency of  the  heart  beats  was  diminished,  but  their  amplitude  greatly 
increased,  the  blood  pressure  being  also  markedly  increased,  as  well 
shown  in  some  excellent  heart-tracings  which  accompany  the  p^per. 
Large  doses  killed  the  heart  rapidly  in  diastole. 
In  mammalia  no  constant  results  could  be  obtained  on  the  pulse 
or  blood  pressure. 
The  vessels  were  greatly  dilated  by  solutions  containing  borneol — 
one  cornu  of  a  sheep's  uterus  being  used  and  maintained  at  the  tem- 
perature of  the  body. 
Respiration  was  slowed  from  the  first. 
Muscles  were  unaffected  by  all  ordinary  doses. 
1  Journal  of  Physiology,  August,  1888;  reprinted  from  Medical  Chronicle,  No- 
vember, p.  145. 
