CAM′PHINE. The name given by the trade to rectified oil of turpentine when sold for burning in lamps, in order that purchasers may not be aware of the inflammable character of the liquid. Since the introduction of the hydro-carbon oils from coal, shale, and petroleum, camphine has been little used for burning. To rectify the turpentine, it is passed in vapour through a solution of caustic potash, soda, or lime; or through sulphuric acid.
CAM′PHOR. C10H16O. Syn. Cam′phire, Lau′rel Cam′phor; Campho′ra, B. P. A crystalline substance found in many plants; though only obtained in large quantities from two, namely, Camphora officinarum and Dryobalanops aromatica. The first, commonly known as the laurel camphor tree of China and Japan, yields the camphor of commerce; the latter, the Sumatra or Borneo camphor, and the peculiar fluid known as liquid camphor.
It is found that several of the essential oils, by carefully distilling off about one third their volume, yield a species of camphor. By collecting this, and redistilling the remainder of
the oil 2 or 3 times, a farther quantity of camphor may be obtained. Oil of rosemary, treated in this way, yields about 10% of camphor; oil of sweet marjoram the same; oil of sage yields 13%; oil of lavender, 25%. By keeping the oils loosely corked, and in a cool place, they produce a larger portion of this camphor. Aniseed camphor is the congealable portion of oil of aniseed, separated from the liquid oil, which it resembles in odour and flavour.
Camphor, Am′ber. See Pyretine (Crystallised).
Camphor, Com′mercial (Crude). The produce of the laurel camphor tree, brought to Europe chiefly from China and the island of Formosa, in the form of greyish grains, aggregated into crumbling cakes.—Prep. The Chinese and Japanese extract the camphor by cutting the wood into small pieces, and boiling it with water in iron vessels, which are covered with large earthen capitals or domes, lined with rice straw. As the water boils, the camphor is volatilised along with the steam, and condenses on the straw.
Cam′phor, Commercial (Refined). Syn. White camphor; Campho′ra, B. P. Prep. 100 parts of crude camphor are mixed with 2 parts each of quick-lime and animal charcoal, both in powder, and the mixture is placed in a thin, globular, glass vessel, sunk in a sand bath. The heat is then cautiously applied, and the vessel gradually and carefully raised out of the sand as the sublimation goes on. When the process is complete, the subliming vessel is removed and allowed to cool.
Obs. The whole process of refining camphor requires great care and experience to ensure its success. If conducted too slowly, or at a heat under 375° Fahr., the product is found to be flaky, and consequently unsaleable, without remelting or subliming. An improvement on the common method is simply to sublime the above mixture in any convenient vessel furnished with a large and well-cooled receiver, and to remelt the product in close vessels under pressure, and to cool the liquid mass as rapidly as possible.
Prop., &c. A white, semi-crystalline solid, very volatile at common temperatures; freely soluble in alcohol, ether, bisulphuret of carbon, benzol, oils, and acetic acid, and sufficiently so in water (about 11⁄4 gr. to 1 oz.), to impart its characteristic smell and taste; 100 parts of alcohol (sp. gr. ·806) dissolve 120 parts of camphor; concentrated acetic acid dissolves twice its weight of camphor; average sp. gr. ·990. It fuses at 347°, boils at 400° Fahr., and when set fire to, burns with a bright flame. It evaporates slowly at ordinary temperatures, and crystallises on the inside of bottles. While floating on water it undergoes a curious rotatory movement.
Uses, &c. Camphor is sedative, narcotic, anodyne, diaphoretic, and anaphrodisiac. Dose, 2 to 10 gr. in the form of pill or bolus, or made into an emulsion with yolk of egg, mucilage, or almonds. In overdoses it is poisonous. The best antidote is opium or wine, preceded by an emetic. It is also used externally in ointments, liniments, and embrocations.