Camphora officinalis
Cinnamomum camphora · Plant · Lauraceae
Camphora Officinalis is the supreme remedy for sudden collapse, shock, and states where the vital force has been overwhelmed, characterized by icy external coldness with paradoxical aversion to covering. Scrofulous children and weakly, irritable blondes are most affected. It corrects spoiled cases and antidotes most vegetable medicines. The digestive tract, cerebrospinal nerves, urinary organs, and nose are primary spheres of action.
Key symptoms
- Icy coldness of the whole body; cannot bear to be covered despite coldness
- Sudden sinking of strength; pulse small and weak; collapse
- First stage of cholera with dry collapse and little vomiting or purging
- Pain better while thinking of it
- Chilliness and sneezing at the very start of a cold
- Tetanic spasms with retraction of lips followed by stupor and coldness
- Cold, pinched nose; tongue cold, flabby, trembling
- Cramps in calves with icy coldness of body
Worse (aggravation)
- Cold air and drafts; motion
- Night and contact
- Shock and suppressions
- Mental exertion; when half asleep
Better (amelioration)
- Warmth; free discharges and sweat
- Thinking of the complaint
- Drinking cold water
Camphor
Hahnemann says: "The action of this substance is very puzzling and difficult of investigation, even in the healthy organism because its primary action, more frequently than with any other remedy, alternates and becomes intermixed with the vital reactions (after effects) of the organism. On this account it is often difficult to determine what belongs to the vital reactions of the body and what to the alternating effects due to the primary action of the camphor."
Pictures a state of collapse. Icy coldness of the whole body; sudden sinking of strength; pulse small and weak. After operations, if temperature is subnormal, low blood pressure, 3 doses camph. 1x, 15-minute intervals. This condition is met with in cholera, and here it is that Camphor has achieved classical fame. First stages of a cold, with chilliness and sneezing. Subsultus and extreme restlessness. Cracking of joints. Epileptiform convulsions. Camphor has a direct relationship to muscles and fascia. In local rheumatic affections in cold climates necessary. Distention of veins. As a heart stimulant for emergency use of Camphor is the most satisfactory remedy. Drop doses on sugar as often as every five minutes.
It is characteristic of Camphor that the patient will not be covered, notwithstanding the icy coldness of the body. One of the main remedies in shock. Pain better while thinking of it. Very sensitive to cold and to touch. Sequelæ of measles. Violent convulsion, with wandering and hysterical excitement. Tetanic spasms. Scrofulous children and irritable, weakly blondes especially affected.
Head
Vertigo, tendency to unconsciousness, feeling as if he would die. Influenza; headache, with catarrhal symptoms, sneezing, etc. Beating pain in cerebellum. Cold sweat. Nose cold and pinched. Tongue cold, flabby, trembling. Fleeting stitches in temporal region and orbits. Head sore. Occipital throbbing, synchronous with the pulse.
Eyes
Fixed, staring; pupils dilated. Sensation as if all objects were too bright and glittering.
Nose
Stopped; sneezing. Fluent coryza on sudden change of weather. Cold and pinched. Persistent epistaxis, especially with goose-flesh state of skin.
Face
Pale, haggard, anxious, distorted; bluish, cold. Cold sweat.
Stomach
Pressive pain in pit of stomach. Coldness, followed by burning.
Stool
Blackish; involuntary. Asiatic cholera, with cramps in calves, coldness of body, anguish, great weakness, collapse, tongue and mouth cold.
Urine
Burning and strangury, with tenesmus of the neck of the bladder. Retention with full bladder.
Mal
Besire increased. Chordee. Priapism. Nightly emissions.
Respiratory
Præcordial distress. Suffocative dyspnœa. Asthma. Violent, dry, hacking cough. Palpitation. Breath cold. Suspended respiration.
Sleep
Insomnia, with cold limbs. Subsultus and extreme restlessness.
Extremities
Rheumatic pain between shoulders. Difficult motion. Numbness, tingling and coldness. Cracking in joints. Cramps in calves. Icy cold feet, ache as if sprained.
Fever
Pulse small, weak, slow. Icy coldness of the whole body. Cold perspiration. Congestive chill. Tongue cold, flabby, trembling.
Skin
Cold, pale, blue, livid. Cannot bear to be covered (Secale).
Modalities
Worse, motion, night, contact, cold air. Better, warmth.
Relationship
Camphor antidotes or modifies the action of nearly every vegetable medicine--tobacco, opium, worm medicines, etc. Laffa acutangula (whole body ice-cold, with a restlessness and anxiety; burning thirst). Camphoric acid--(a prophylactic against catheter fever; cystitis 15 grains three times a day; also for prevention of night sweats).
Incompatible: Kali nit.
Complementary: Canth.
Antidotes: Opium; Nitr sp dulc; Phos.
Compare: Carbo; Cuprum; Arsenic; Veratr.
Dose
Tincture, in drop doses, repeated frequently, or smelling of Spirits of Camphor. Potencies are equally effective.
The camphor bottle is, a great mischief in the house, as camphor antidotes most of our remedies. Camphor in potentized form will cure many complaints.
It is suitable in some acute complaints attended with nervous excitement, even to frenzy, with spasms and convulsions and finally exhaustion. The Camphor state is one of convulsions or coldness.
In the most acute period of the Camphor excitement, the excitability and frenzy of the patient are extreme, or he goes into the other extreme, in which the irritability is lost and there is loss of sensation, unconsciousness and coldness.
The two extremes may be seen in one patient, one earlier and the other later. He may go from the extreme of mental excitement and violence to one of prostration and exhaustion, in which the body is blue and cold and yet must be uncovered.
Camphor (Lauraccae)
Pain better while thinking of it (Hell. - worse, Cal. p., Helon., Ox. ac.). Persons physically and mentally weak and irritable. Exceedingly sensitive to cold air (Hep., Kali m., Psor.). Bad effects of shock from injury; surface of body cold, face pale, blue lips livid; profound prostration. Surface cold to the touch yet cannot bear to be covered; throws off all coverings (Med., Sec.). Entire body painfully sensitive to slightest touch. Tongue cold, flabby, trembling. Sudden attacks of vomiting and diarrhoea; nose cold and pointed; anxious and restless; skin and breath cold (Ver., Jatr.). In first stages of cholera morbus and Asiatic cholera; severe, long- lasting chill (Ver.). Great coldness of the surface with sudden and complete prostration of the vital force; often a remedy in congestive chill; pernicious intermittent (Ver.); pulse weak, externally small, scarcely perceptible. Measles and scarlatina when eruption does not appear; with pale or cold blue, hippocratic face; child will not be covered (Sec.). All sequelae of measles.
Head
Throbbing pains in the cerebellum, like the pounding of a hammer, synchronous with the beat of the heart.
General Face
Face livid, pale, haggard, pale and anxious, distorted, bluish, cold.
Chill, Fever, and Sweat
Icy coldness all over; face deadly pale; excessive sensitiveness to cold air.
Causes and Modalities
Great sensitiveness to cold air; the pains are < by it.
Causes and Modalities
Pains disappear when thinking of them; most felt when half conscious.
Phatak's chapter on Camphora officinalis is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
