rtheless, if a lump of the Camphor be kept in a bottle of fresh
water, to be drawn off from time to time as required, it will
constitute Camphor julep. A wineglassful of it serves to relieve
nervous headache and hysterical depression.

The domestic uses of Camphor are multiple, and within moderate
limits perfectly safe; but a measure of caution should be exercised,
as was shown a while ago by the school-boy, whom his mother
furnished affectionately after the holidays with a bottle of
supersaturated pilules to be taken one or two at a time against any
incipient catarrh or cold. The whole bottleful was devoured at once
as a sweetmeat, and the lad's life was rescued with difficulty
because of intense nervous shock occasioned thereby.

An old Latin adage declares that _Camphora per nares emasculat
mares_, "Camphor in excess makes men eunuchs," even when
imbibed only through the air as a continuous practice. And,
therefore, as a "similar" the odorous gum, in small repeated doses, is
an excellent sexual restorative. Likewise, persons who have taken
poisonous, or large [338] probative quantities of Camphor found
themselves quickly affected by exhausting choleraic diarrhoea; and
Hahnemann therefore advised, with much success, to give (in doses
of from one to three or four drops on sugar), repeatedly for cholera,
a tincture of Camphor (Rubini's) made with spirit of wine above
proof. This absorbs as much as is possibly soluble of the drug.

Physiologically Camphor acts by reducing reflex nervous irritability.
Externally its spirit makes an admirable warming liniment,
either by itself, or when conjoined with other rubefacients.
In persons poisoned by the drug, all the superficial blood vessels of
the bodily skin have been found immensely dilated; acting on a
knowledge of which fact anyone wishing to produce copious
general sweating, may do so by sitting over a plate on which
Camphor is heated, whilst a blanket envelops the body loosely, and
is pinned round the neck so that the fumes do not get down the
throat.

In medical books of the last century this substance was called
"Camphire." To a certain extent its effluvium is noxious to insects,
and it may therefore be employed for preserving specimens, as well
as for protecting fabrics against moths. But its volatile odours
swiftly evaporate, and become even offensively diffused about the
room. In a moderate measure Camphor is antiseptic, and lessens
urinary irritation. Recently