The genus Cinnamomum

234 K. Nirmal Babu, P.N. Ravindran and M. Shylaja
hysteria, rheumatism, gangrene and gout. It has also been employed as an antidote to
strychnia, but with doubtful results. It is regarded as a medicine in impotence (Dymock
et al., 1890). The Hindus consider camphor to be aphrodisiacal, but the Muhammadans
hold a contrary opinion; both regard it as a valuable application to the eyelids in inflammatory
conditions of the eye (Watt, 1885; Morton, 1977).
The following extract on the use of camphor is from Waring’s most useful little book,
Bazar Medicines:
In asthma, camphor in 4-grain doses, with an equal quantity of asafoetida, in the
form of a pill, repeated every second or third hour during a paroxysm, affords in
some instances great relief. Turpentine stupes to the chest should be used at the
same time. Many cases of difficulty of breathing are relieved by the same means.
These pills also sometimes relieve violent palpitation of the heart. In the
coughs of childhood, camphor liniment, previously warmed, well rubbed in over
the chest at nights, often exercises a beneficial effect. For young children, the
strength of the liniment should be reduced one-half or more by the addition of
some bland oil.
In rheumatic and nervous headaches, a very useful application is one ounce of camphor
dissolved in a pint of vinegar, and then diluted with one or two parts of water.
Cloths saturated with it should be kept constantly to the part.
In spermatorrhoea, and in all involuntary seminal discharges, no medicine is more
generally useful than camphor in doses of 4 grains with half a grain of opium taken
each night at bed time. In gonorrhoea, to relieve that painful symptom, chordee,
the same prescription is generally very effectual; but it may be necessary to increase
the quantity of opium to one grain, and it is advisable to apply the camphor
liniment along the under-surface of the penis as far as the anus. To relieve that
distressing irritation of the generative organs which some women suffer from so
severely, it will be found that 5 or 6 grains of camphor, taken in the form of a pill
twice or three times a day, according to the severity of the symptoms, will sometimes
afford great relief. In each of these cases it is important to keep the bowels
freely open.
In painful affections of the uterus, camphor in 6- or 8-grain doses often affords
much relief. The liniment should at the same time be well rubbed into the loins.
In the convulsions attendant on child-birth, the following pills may be tried:
Camphor and calomel, of each 5 grains. Beat into a mass with a little honey, and
divide into two pills; to be followed an hour subsequently by a full dose of castor
oil or other purgative.
In the advanced stages of fever, small-pox and measles, when the patient is low,
weak, and exhausted, and when there are at the same time delirium, muttering,
and sleeplessness, 3 grains of camphor, with an equal quantity of asafoetida, may
be given every third hour; turpentine stupes or mustard poultices being applied at
the same time to the feet or over the region of the heart. It should be discontinued
if it causes headache or increased heat of the scalp. Its use requires much discrimination
and caution.