OCR Text |
Show 386 CAMPHOR TREE. CAMPHOR TREE, having a peculiar powerin taking off the inflammatorystate in cases both of rheumatism and gout. In the case of rheumatism it is a matter of common experience; in the case of gout it is soon after; arid we havetherefore long ago ceased from employsm ing such an application in all cases w hen an acute rheumati was very general and strong in the system. more rare; but I have had the following particular example of it. A gentleman had brought from the East Indies an oil of camphor, a native substance, which seemed, by its smell and taste, to be no other than camphor in that form, and which I perceive to be mentioned by naturalists as a native substance, produced by several trees in the East Indies. This the person possessed of recommendedto all his acquaintances as aninfallible remedy for gout and rheumatism ; and a gentleman who had often laboured under the gout, and then felt the pains of it unusually severe, was persuaded to apply it. He had then the gout exceedingly painful in the ball of the great toe, andinstep of one foot. On this. part he rubbed a quantity of the oil of ? rampt »° and in--aghant half a 5 ant ] camphor; and in about half an heur, ora little more, he was entirely freed from the pain he had before... In less, however, han = Lath wation > 2nd i than an hour after, he had aa nai pain andtyinflammation come upon the same part of the other severe, he ag n employed effect of soon relieving the of this was also the same ; foot. As the pain here became pretty the oil of camphor, and with the same pain veryentirely. The consequence foriv less than an hour the pain and 387 It may be supposed that it is analogous to this power of cam- phor in taking off an inflammatorystate, that this medicine has ig toothach ; and I have no been often found so useful in doubt that cam r operates by the power mentioned in reliev- ing toothach, but it is also by exciting a copious flow of saliva ial surface of the mouth, that water and mucus fromtheir h camphor, employed to wash the ted somewhat impregna mouth, has been frequentlyof service in relieving the disease. However it may be with respect to toothach, we have no doubt that the antiphlogistic nature of camphor may be of use in curing ophthalmia ; andthis gives a good groundfor the many attempts that have been madeto introduce cam} hor into the mes dicines intended to be employed externally in the cure of ophthalmia. We have now mentioned manyofthe virtues of camphor as employedby itself, and must now mention someinstances of its peculiar utility when combined with other medicines. When combined with drastic purgatives, it is said to moderate their acrimony, and thereby their violent operation. We have inflammation returned to the foot that had been first affected : not, indeed, perceived this, and perhaps never tried it in a prope and here again our patient, obstinate in persisting in the trial of his remedy, again applied the oil, and he had the same suc- manner; but in the mean time the respectable authority of Mr. further application of the oil, and suffered the pain of the knee Lasonne, the father, satisfies me that it is well founded. Anotheropinion that has been very general is, that camphor has the power of correcting the acrimony of cantharides. In opposition to this, we would not quote the facts given by Dr. Heberden of two several instances in which camphor seemed to to remainfor a dayor two, andtill it went off by some swelling occasion strangury ; for I must conclude these facts to have been and desquamation in the usual manner. very accidental occurrences, as I have employed camphorfifty cess as before in relieving the part affected, and with the same effect also of occasioning a translation, But. here the transla- tion being made to the knee, the patient abstained from any. This history shows sufficiently the powerof camphor in reliev- times, even in large doses, without my ever observing its having ing the inflammatory spasm and pain of the part chielly affected ; any effect upon the urinary passages. Mr. Lasonne, the father, has observed, as I have donefrequently, that camphor, though given very largely, never discoversits smell in the urine, whilst it frequently does it in the perspiration and sweat. It was formerly a frequent practice in this countryto anoint 2 blistering plaster that was to be applied to the back, or other part, with camphorated oil, and this with a view of preventing ‘The practice, however, has strangury from the cantharides. been long ago laid aside, because it was perceived that, in most but at the same timethat it has no effect on the diathesis of the system, and that, when that subsists, as camphor is ready to occasionatranslation, it will always be employedin gouty cases with great danger. In cases of acute rheumatism we have had occasion to remark, that a strong solution, of camphor in oil would relieve the pain of the joint for the time chiefly affected; but it was very often with the translation of it to another joint 2c 2 |