DERIVATION.--Made by heating camphor and bromine in the proper chemical
proportions for three hours in a sealed tube, in a water bath. The
crystalline masses washed with water, recrystallized from alcohol after
treatment with animal charcoal, washed with an alcoholic solution of
potassium hydroxide, then with much water and finally recrystallized
from a mixture of alcohol and ether. It is very easy to prepare the
monobromide on a small scale in this way.
PROPERTIES.--Colorless, prismatic needles or scales, permanent in air,
almost soluble in water, freely soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform
and fixed and volatile oils; used frequently as an anaphrodisiac.
DOSE.--Dogs, 2 to 10 gr.
ACTIONS.--Antispasmodic or nerve stimulant, anodyne, antiseptic,
diaphoretic, a stimulant, expectorant, a cerebral excitant or narcotic,
a gastro-intestinal irritant, a rubefacient or counter-irritant and also
carminative. It has an acrid hot taste, irritates the skin and mucous
membrane, large doses causing gastro-intestinal inflammation.
Medical doses stimulate the vaso-motor system and the cardiac-motor
ganglia, and lessens the influence of the pneumogastric (inhibitory
nerve); afterwards stimulates the accelerator apparatus, thus increasing
the circulation and raising arterial tension; it also stimulates
respiration, and in man stimulates mental activity even to intoxication.
USES.--In catarrhal conditions, cough mixtures, acute and chronic
bronchitis, pneumonia. The spirits of camphor is used in colic mixtures;
also locally to stop secretions of milk applied frequently; in cardiac
weakness; strangury may be relieved by one to two ounce doses of the
spirits for the horse. Spirits of camphor is used in Thumps.
Camphor is a valuable medicine in diarrhoea, particularly in serious
variety, and in that form following exposure to cold. It is not useful
in inflammatory conditions, but checks secretions and pain.
Spirit of camphor and nitrous ether are efficient in relieving
irritation of the genito-urinary tract. Camphor has proven of service in
purpura hemorrhagica of horses given three times daily in capsules or
pills.