794

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

more frequent and fuller than natural, and the heat of the surface al °mented. Trousseau and Pidoux {op. cit. p. 51) ascribe the sym] ,t0 ^ eof sedation to the depressing influence which camphor exerts oversystem by sympathy; while the sanguineous excitation they refer topassage of camphor into the blood, and the efforts of the organism t°minate this unassimilable principle. But in some of the cases in ", g j 0 uexcessive doses of camphor have been taken, no symptoms of depi' e! ’ ^were manifested ; as in the instance mentioned by Dr. Eickhoru ^whom great heat, rapid but small pulse, copious sweating, and agre ea ^exhilaration, were produced by 120 grs. {Land. Med. Gaz. v . }lS>p. 772), by Dr. Wendt (quoted in Dr. Christison’s Treat, on P°J$p. 810), by Scudery (Wibrner, op. supracit.), and by Bergondi {Ibid-) ^

Camphor has long been celebrated as an anaphrodisiac ; the sineit even is said to be attended with this effect; hence the verse otSchool of Salernum, “ Camphora per nares castrat odore mares." -*- r t yseau and Pidoux {op. cit. p. 48) experienced the anaphrodisiac p r °Pof 30 grains of camphor taken into the stomach. i ell

Strangury has also been ascribed to this substance by Hebe{Comment, art. Stranguria) and by Scudery {supracit.) y

Uses. —The discrepancy among authors as to the physiological eaof camphor has had the effect of greatly circumscribing the use otsubstance. Indeed, until its operation on the system be more satistorily ascertained, it is almost impossible to lay down general r ( iwhich should govern its exhibition. The following are the p rlIlC *maladies in which it has been found useful:— qiicb

1. Fever. —Camphor has been employed in those forms of fever "are of a typhoid type. It is chiefly valuable by causing detennm a gto the surface and giving rise to diaphoresis. Hence those reI ! lC eC a-should be conjoined with it which promote these effects: such are fl’^ycuanlia, emetic tartar, and the'vegetable alkaline salts. Opium - s .contributes to the sudorific effects of camphor; and, when it i s a . 0 {sible, benefit is sometimes obtained by the administration of one g ra eSopium with five or eight of camphor. But in a great number ot c ^cof fever the cerebral disorder forbids the use of opium. From its S P C ge dinfluence over the cerebral functions, camphor has been frequently

in fever to allay the nervous symptoms, such as the delirium, tiro " ^ e j;ings, the subsultus tendinum, &c.; but it frequently fails to gi' e rt jjiDr. Home {Clin. Hist. p. 36) did not find any advantage from its .^paSthe low nervous fever; and Dr. Heberden {Comment, art. Febv lS i .,, rseen one scruple of camphor given every six hours, without any l ,ur .- ell ttible effect in abating the convulsive catchings, or composing the p ato rest. 'oil

2. In Inflammatory Diseases. —In the latter stages of inflam" 1of internal important parts (as the serous and mucous membran eS ’stomach, intestines, uterus, &c.) after proper evacuations have been

in the earlier periods of the disease, when great exhaustion i* IlllU i 1 j 0 sO sby a small feeble pulse and a cool flaccid skin, small but repeatedof camphor have been employed to determine to the skin, and to P r01 t j 0 u,diaphoresis. It is particularly serviceable in rheumatic inflam " 13 eC .and especially' when produced by metastasis (Sundelin, Handb. “•Heilmittell. Bd. ii. S. 145). u.pofc

3. In the Exanthemata .—Camphor has been employed in sm«d P