792

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

stupor (Carminati). Given to birds and mammals, in sufficient dos® Jcamphor proves poisonous, but the symptoms which it gives rise to ^not appear to be uniform. Indeed there are few remedies whose actionthe animal economy is so variable as that of camphor. Three dracidissolved in oil and given to a dog, the oesophagus being tied, call . t;( jviolent convulsions, somewhat analogous to those of epilepsy, foll°"by insensibility and death (Orfila). When administered in sub stal ‘ ’it inflamed the digestive tube, caused ulcei'ation, and, after its absorptigave rise to convulsions (Ibid.) Given to horses, in doses of ^drachms, it excites spasmodic movements, and quickens the puls®; ^does not determine any serious result (Moiroud, Pharm. Veter.). r j lC ^mann and Gmelin (Versuche u. d. Wege aus welchen Subst. aus d. MW'.Darmk. ins Blut gelang. S. 24 and 25) detected the odour of campb 01the blood of the vena porta and of the mesenteric vein of a horse?whom they had given camphor ; but they could recognize it neither ^the chyle nor in the urine. It is evolved from the system principally -the bronchial surfaces ; for the breath of animals, to which this substa* ^has been administered, has a strong odour of camphor. Moiroud [op- iobserved that the skin of a horse, into whose jugular vein camph° rbeen injected, smelt of this substance. jj

“ The general sedative effects of camphor on animals are rarelymarked; however, when administered in a proper dose, and in ca j j( jreally requiring its use, it sometimes causes a diminution in the forcefrequency of the pulse, and seems to allay pain” (Moiroud). . , s

Scudery (quoted by Dr. Christison) observed that the convuy^fcaused in animals by camphor were accompanied with a peculiar km ^delirium, which made them to run up and down without apparent c»lie also found the urinary organs generally affected, and for the mpart with strangury. , ra .

(c.) On man .—No article of the materia medica has had more co adictory statements made respecting its effects and mode of action ecamphor. These, however, have principally referred to its inffn^ [t >over the functions of circulation and calorification; for, with reg 31the modifications which it induces in the other functions, scared)difference of opinion prevails. j,<J

Its local action on the mucous surfaces, the denuded derrn lS >xdeers, is that of an acrid. A piece of camphor held in the nl0U J jjot,half an hour caused the mucous lining of this cavity to become red? ^swollen, and painful; and it is highly probable that, had the exp erlII ^jbeen persevered in, ulceration would have followed (Trousseaul’idoux, Traite de Therap. t. i. p. 43). The pain and uneasiness " ^camphor, when swallowed in substance, sometimes produces m Q]1stomach, is likewise imputed to its local action as an acrid. Itubb® c ^j_the skin covered with cuticle, Dr. Cullen says that it causes neither tness nor other mark of inflammation [Mat. Med. vol. ii. p. 298); ^Dr. Clutterbuck (Inquiry into the Seat and Nature of Fever, ~up. 424) declares this to be “ undoubtedly a mistake.” When apph L ' a aSthe denuded dermis, or to ulcers, it produces pain, and appears to u® oJJan irritant. These observations respecting the local action of campu°^ t , rman, are confirmed by the ascertained effects of this substance on 0animals. t l,c

Camphor becomes absorbed, and is thrown out of the system v j