Camphora bromata

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

(Honobromide of Camphor.)

[The Monobromide of Camphor consists of one equivalent of camphor united with one of bromine. (C. 10. H. 16 O, Br.) It is a white crystalline salt, having the odor of camphor, and to a slight extent that of bromine. It decomposes readily when exposed to the atmosphere, to a heat of 100. This new medicine, first used by a Belgian Physician, and then by Dr. Hammond, of New York, bids fair to prove a very useful remedy. No experience with its use in homoeopathic practice — save my own — has yet come to my knowledge. I give the authority, and the doses used. (Hale.)]

Officinal Pr epar ation. — Triturations.

Analogues. — Ambergris, Coffea, Cimicifuga, (?) Gelseminum,(?) Conium, (?) Scutellaria, Thea, Valerian.

Mind.

Delirium, furious, with red face and threatened spasms, (p.) ° Delirium, muttering, incoherent, with sleeplessness, (s.) ° Alternate paroxysms of weeping and laughing.

Head.

• Cerebral congestion, with great nervous erethism, (p.)

• Cerebral anosmia, with coldness, torpor and debility, (s.)

• Headache from mental excitement or excessive study, (p.)

• Headache from anaemia, with sleeplessness, (s.)

Generative Organs. Debility, coldness and relaxation of the generative organs, (p.) (in man.)

Absence of sexual desire or power (p.) in both sexes.

• Sexual erethism, spasmodic erections, emissions, etc. (s.)

• Hysterical conditions, mania, etc., from irritation of the sexual organs, (s.)

Generalities.

• Epileptiform, hysteric and choreiform spasms, (p.)

• Coldness of the body and extremities, with cramps and

jactitations. [In cats and Guinea pigs it causes:

A lessening of the number of the pulsations of the heart; and it determines the contractions of the auricular muscles.

Diminishes the number of inspirations. Lowers the temperature in a regular manner, (p.) Increase of the temperature of the body. (*.) 0 It calms the cerebrospinal nervous system and the circulation.

0 Tremblings, excitability, insomnia and visual delusions.

° Insomnia with heart disease. (3 grs.)

° Insomnia (in locomotor ataxia) with nightmare. (12 grs.)

° Chorea, not able to walk or lie in bed. (16 grs. palliated.)

° Paralysis agitans. (4 to 15 grs. caused amendment.)

° Chorea in the left arm. (9 grs. daily, cured in five days.)

° Hysterical chorea with vomiting. (9 grs. daily, rapidly cured.)

0 Insufficiency of the mitral valve. (Digitaline aggravated; under the Brom. Camph. the heart-beats diminished in frequency and became regular for two weeks after.)

0 Nocturnal incontinence of urine, (cured by 6 grs.)

° Paralysis agitans. (much relieved.)

(See Therapeutics, Vol. II.)

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This bromide would seem to be a combination of medicines possessing directly opposite effects. All the bromides, except the Bromide of quinine, cause primarily cerebral anseruia. Camphor causes cerebral congestion, and may cause epileptiform convulsions primarily. It would seem that a union of the two elements would counteract each other. My observations of the use of this drug in allopathic practice leads me to believe that the Camphor-effects predominate in most cases when it is given in large doses. I have known doses of from 6 to 10 grains cause congestion of the brain, with delirium and threatened convulsions. So commonly have

these unpleasant effects resulted from such doses that allopathic physicians are shy of prescribing it much of late.

Dr. Hammond, however, is quite successful with the drug, but he gives it in moderate doses. Its sphere of action is doubtless nearly that of Camphor, modified somewhat by the Bromine. It is primarily homoeopathic to cerebral congestion , with great nervous erethism, especially when it assumes the form of hysteria. I should consider it secondarily indicated in cerebral anaemia, from previous overstimulation, and attended by sleeplessness, cold extremities, feeble circulation, and nervous headache.

Dr. Hammond published several cases in which he found it useful. I condense them as illustrative of its use in his hands.

Infantile convulsions due to irritation of teething, with the effect in each instance (two) of preventing the further occurrence of the paroxysms, which previous to its administration had been very frequent. Dose: in each case, one grain an hour, rubbed up in a little mucilage of Acacia. Three doses were sufficient in one, and two in the other case. The ages of the children were respectively 15 and 18 months.

A very obstinate case of hysteria, occurring in a young married lady, in the form of paroxysms of weeping and laughter alternately, with epileptiform and choreiform convulsions. Dose: four grains every hour. Improvement commenced after two doses were taken, but ten were necessary to entirely break up the attack. All previous seizures had lasted from five to eleven days, uninfluenced by medication or moral suasion.

Headache in women and young girls, due to mental excitement and excessive study. One dose of four grains was generally sufficient to cut short the attack.

Delirium tremens, in a large man of plethoric habits. Symptoms: great cerebral congestion, tremulousness, and great jactitation of the limbs ; conversation muttering and incoherent ; pulse full and soft; no sleep for several nights. 100 grains Bromide of sodium did not cause sleep ; 5 grains Monobromide camphor caused sleep within half an hour. He slept over 12 hours ; afterwards the same dose at night caused good sleep and relief of all the other symptoms.

In this case there may have been congestion of the brain in the

beginning, but it could not very well have been present after the patient had swallowed 100 grains of Bromide of soda. In fact, the symptoms which existed when the Camphor bromide was given were those of cerebral amemia, a condition in which 5 grains of the drug would be likely to have a good effect. The Belgian physicians who first used it recommended it for delirium tremens. I think it will prove useful in the delirium of low typhoids, when anaemia of the brain and erethism are both present.

Owing to the powerful depressing influence which both constituents of this drug have over the generative organs of both sexes, I predict that it will form a useful remedy in the opposite conditions of excitement and debility. It must be primarily homoeopathic to impotence , torpor , and passive spermatorrhoea, and I should expect it would cure such conditions when prescribed in the 3X or 6X triturations. It is secondarily indicated in nymphomania, chordee, active spermatorrhoea, with nocturnal emissions and amorous dreams. Dr. Hamilton says it is far superior to any remedy he has ever tried in chordee. I can testify to the same, and I have found that two or three grains at bedtime will effectually control nocturnal chordee, emissions, and erotic dreams.

In a case of obstinate neuralgia of the testicles and prostate gland, which were both indurated and enlarged, the patient having lost his sleep for weeks, two grains at night not only caused sleep, but greatly relieved the other symptoms.

In my third edition of “New Remedies ” I predicted that it would prove useful in cholera infantum with impending or actual spasms. Its use in many cases since that time has justified that prediction. The 2* trituration, a grain or two every half hour, acts very favorably in the collapse with cerebral symptoms. It may prove as useful in cholera morbus and cholera Asiatica.