(seq. 379)

372

Materia Medica

Stimulants

air is dissipated in the form of vapour, in vessels hermatically sealed it
looses none of its weight, it is not entirely soluble in water, but from the
taste it imparts to water it must be partially so, it is entirely dissolved in
twice its weight of Spt. Vin. Rect. but if water is added to that solution
the camphor is precipitated, one of the nicest ways of using camphor in
practice is by rubbing it down with Gum Arabic and Myrrh, Camphor
20 vel [or] 30 grs. [grains] Gum Arabic Ʒij [2 drams] Sach. Alb. Ʒij [2 drams] Aq. Font ℥viij [8 ounces] M. fit. we
shall now direct our attention on animals, and first on insects. A
piece of camphor placed near an ants hole, affects them considerably, every
insect except moth is destry’d by putting them into a glass vessel containing
camphor; its effects are various on each a dog took Ʒij [2 drams] and was affected with
all the symptoms of hydraphobia, this is an interesting fact, symptoms of
this disease are produced by many stimulants, the stomach of animals
were inflamed and contained an unusual large quantity of mucus, the
active powers of camphor appear to reside in the volatile parts, and therefore
it probably acts cher fully on the brain and nerves, peices of camphor have
been vomited nearly the size they were taken after acting violently Dr
Monroe has made experiments to prove that it is absorbed when
externally apply’d. I shall mention its effects upon vegetibles but I refer
you to my publication in the fourth Vol of the Philosophical Society