Camphor, Nitrate of. Syn. Camphor oil; O′leum campho′ræ facti′′tium, L. Prepared by dissolving camphor in nitric acid, in the cold.
Camphor, Sul′phite of. From camphor and sulphurous acid gas, as hydrochlorate of camphor.
Camphor, Suma′tra. Syn. Bor′neo camphor, Hard c., Dragon’s brain perfume. Obtained from Dryobalanops aromatica, being found in natural fissures or crevices of the wood. It resembles ordinary camphor in most properties, but its odour is not of so diffusible a nature. This kind is not seen in European commerce.
CAMPHOR CAKES. See Balls (Camphor).
CAMPHOR′IC ACID. H2C10H14O4. Syn. Acidum camphor′icum, L. Prep. From camphor, 1 part; and nitric acid (sp. gr. 1·33), 4 parts; distilled together in a glass retort, with a gradually increasing heat, until vapours cease to be evolved; the camphor that has volatilised is then added to that in the retort, along with 4 or 5 parts more of nitric acid, and the process repeated again and again, until 20 parts of acid have been consumed, when crude camphoric acid crystallises out of the remaining liquor on cooling. The crystals are purified by washing with cold distilled water, solution in boiling water, and evaporating the solution until a pellicle forms; crystals of pure camphoric acid are formed as the liquid cools.
Prop., &c. Small, colourless, lamellar or acicular crystals; acid; bitter; fusible at 158° Fahr.; sparingly soluble in water; soluble in alcohol; alcoholic solution not precipitated by water, which distinguishes camphoric acid from benzoic acid. Its salts are called CAMPHORATES. The soluble camphorates may be made by digesting the carbonate or hydrate of the metal in a hot solution of the acid, and the insoluble camphorates by double decomposition. By distillation, camphoric acid yields a colourless, crystalline, neutral substance, which has been improperly called anhydrous camphoric acid.
CAM′WOOD. This dye-stuff resembles Brazil wood in its properties, and is used in a similar manner.
CAN′ADA BALSAM. Syn. Bal′samum Canaden′se, Terebinth′ina Canaden′sis, L. A thick, viscid oleo-resin obtained from the Abies balsamea (Lindley), a tree of common growth in Canada and the State of Maine. It is much employed as a medium for mounting microscopic objects. When pure it is perfectly transparent, has an agreeable odour (not terebinthinate), and is wholly soluble in rectified oil of turpentine, with which it forms a beautiful glassy and colourless varnish, much used for preparing a semi-transparent copying paper.
A mixture of 3 parts of Canada balsam and one of wax, if added to pile masses, is said to have the effect of binding together the component parts of the mass, and of keeping the piles made from it soft and in good shape.
Canada Balsam, Facti′′tious. Syn. Balsamum Canadense Facti′′tium, L. Prep. 1. Yellow resin, 3 lbs.; oil of turpentine, 1 gall.; dissolve, and add essence of lemon, 2 dr.; oil of rosemary, 11⁄4 dr.