THE CAMPHOR TREE.
791
4(l(]gj ,
of 10 the solution, the camphor is precipitated. Ether, bisulphuretit ^n, the oils (both fixed and volatile), and the acids, also dissolvetluj J ’ e liquid obtained by dissolving camphor in nitric acid is some-termed camphor oil: it is a nitrate of camphor. Camphor isalkaline solutions. The vapour of camphor passed overO lime is converted into a liquid called camphrone (composed ofri tD).
Carbon . . . 10 . . 60 . . 78 94 . . 78-02
tfydrog-en . . 8 . . 8 . . 10 53 . . 1039
*7gcn ... 1 . . 8 . . 10-53 . . 1159
0
Blanchetand Sell.
. 77-96
10-6111-43
Camphor .
76
100-00
. 100-00
100 00
^Poth* 3 * ^ aS S11 g£ cstc( l that camphor may be regarded as an oxide of a base (as yete 6cal) which he calls camphogen, and whose composition is C'O H8.
0
Hj’^ncAL Characteristics. — Camphor is readily known by itsperf r ’ ^ does not blacken in burning. It agrees in many of its pro-ps g le p ''ith the volatile oils (p. 76). From these it differs, however, inre s | n 'mty at ordinary temperatures, and in its not being converted intohifji ”y the oxygen of the air or by nitric acid. By repeatedly distilling(c 0 c ac id from camphor, the latter is converted into camphoric acid,c ' 0 riv^° Se d °t C 10 II 8 O 3 ). Before the whole of the camphor has beenp° u ' ; . r t e( l into camphoric acid, there are produced intermediate com-of c s °f camphor and this acid, which we may regard as camphorates(tli e tI1 ^ IOr - Ordinary camphor is distinguished from Borneo camphorits jJ )r °^ u ce of Dryobalanops aromatica, Gsertu.) by its greater volatility,hv(i r Ss , s P- gr., and its being softer and tougher. Artificial camphor is a4c 0 T lora te °t °it °f turpentine, and is composed of Chi. II + C 20 II 16 .Sy s . r, ' n S to Orfila ( Toxicol. Gen.) it produces no lesion of the nervousip but confines its action to the production of a few small ulcersj> e Mucous membranes of the stomach.
4»j r ^ological Effects, (a.) On vegetables. — Goeppert (Poggendorf,of c ' ' Phys. u. Chem. 1828) has satisfactorily shewn,—1st, that solutions<)j] s . la Phor act in the same deleterious manner on plants as the volatilePfr:vi fbat they destroy the mobility of contractile parts withoutexciting them; 3dly, that they have no influence either on thega^.^tion of plianerogamia, or the vegetation of the cellular crypto-pl a , ! a ’ a "d 4thly, tliat the vapour only is sufficient to destroy fleshy
(6 f an< ^ ferns.
be etl ' animals generally. —Tlie action of camphor on animals hasby vp-i 6 su bject of numerous experiments made by Hillefield, (quoted-> ’bluer, Wirk. d. Arzneim. ii. Gifte. Bd. iii. S. 215), Monro ( Essays
«nd
(\\q, bserv. Phys. and Lit. vol. iii. p. 351), Menghini and CarminatiS C|lfl nier > l°co cit.), Viborg, Hertwicli (Ibid.), Orfila ( Toxicol. Gen.), andCr y (Wibmer, op. cit.)
(tl le .p” n Pregnated with the vapour of camphor proyes injurious to insectslne ®, which destroy wool, excepted). Sooner or later-it causes'WtWix a g’ ta tion, followed by languor, insensibility, convulsions, andIt p 1 j-'fenghini). To amphibials (frogs) the vapour also proves noxious.°uuces preternatural movements, difficult respiration, trembling, and