T1IK CAMPHOR TREE.
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membrane principally, but also by tlie sldn. Trousseau andPul] UX supracit. P- 49) recognized its odour in every case in thet]o r "°"fy exhalation, but failed to detect it in the cutaneous perspira-f a ^‘ Sullen, however, says (op. cit. p. 305) that “ Mr. Lasonne, thegi v Cr ’ has observed, as I have done frequently, that camphor, thoughVer y largely, never discovers its smell in the urine, whilst it fre->u tw y does it in the perspiration and sweat.” The non-detection of it„ e urine agrees with the observation of Tiedemann and Gmelin with1° horses, already noticed.
arn ^ lor specifically affects the nervous system. —Regarding the symp-(} °f this effect but little difference of opinion prevails. In largef 0 |- s 11 causes disorder of the mental faculties, the external senses, anddj s !? n > the symptoms being lassitude, giddiness, confusion of ideas,cohered vision, noise in the ears, drowsiness, delirium or stupor, andc^ uls i°ns. These phenomena, which have been observed in severalof ’ agree with those noticed in experiments on brutes. In its powerl atle aus 'ng stupor, camphor agrees with opium; but it differs from theli af ,, H' its more frequently causing delirium and convulsions. Epilepsy7 *. een ascribed to the use of camphor.
*]1H 6 ^ Ua ^V °f M ie influence which camphor exercises over the vascular<>} )s has been a subject of much contention. From my own limited1 1 ),! '-^dons of its use in small or medium doses (from five to ten grains),th 0 'imposed to regard its leading effect as that of a vascular excitant,c ecl j I am not prepared to deny that slight depression may not have pre-a t|( jthis effect. Combined with a diaphoretic regimen (warm clothingpul te pid diluents), I have seen camphor increase the fulness of theIf o e .’ r aise the temperature of the surface, and operate as a sudorific.jP la m be conjoined, these effects are more manifest.
^ ex oessive doses it acts as a powerful poison. The best related casettyo at °f Mr. Alexander (Experim. Essays, p. 128, 1768), who swallowedW\ Cru Plcs in symp of roses. In about twenty minutes he experiencedtl lre u de and depression of spirits, with frequent yawnings: at the end ofli e !r' f l l >artcrs of an hour his pulse had fallen from 77 to 67. Soon afterf °°ni S'drly, confused, and almost incapable of walking across theta c i ’ He became gradually insensible, and in this condition was at-ti c 11 "'ith violent convulsions and maniacal delirium. From this stateto r , e a s from a profound sleep ; his pulse was 100, and he was ablete c .my to interrogatories, though he had not completely recovered hisSection. Warm water being administered, he vomited up thev i„ , r Part of the camphor, which had been swallowed three hours pre-y i and from this time he gradually recovered.
<l(.p r s 9 E ae other well-reported cases, camphor, in large doses, caused® Ss i°n of the vascular system, followed, in some of the instances, by(0* n 0 ^ excitement. In the instances related by Fred. Hoffmannv o] . ari ia, t. iv. p. 26, Geneva, 1748), Pouteau (Murray, App. Med.p. Griffin (quoted by Alexander), Cullen (Mat. Med. vol. ii.
a a<l ^ alii sen (Murray, App. Med.), Edwards (Orfila, Tox. Gen.),v a Sc 1 r ° u sseau and Pidoux (Traite de Therap. t. i. p. 48) sedation of thea a<l ,, ar s y st em was observed. It was manifested by a languid, small,x.,_ 8 °Wer pulse, coldness of the surface, and pallid countenance; in
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v a s ^ , Ca ses with cold sweat. In some of these instances, symptoms ofar excitement followed those of depression. The pulse became