What is Camphor?
Camphor is a naturally occurring aromatic compound which was derived from the camphor laurel until the 1920s, when chemists successfully synthesized it. The distinctive odor of camphor is familiar to many consumers, as it has been traditionally used in mothballs and some medical preparations to reduce itching. It is also used in a wide variety of other applications, along with other similar plant derived chemicals, including film manufacture, plastics, lacquers, and some explosives. The family of plant compounds to which camphor belongs is known as the terpenoids, and it includes other aromatics like menthol and citral. The formal name for the camphor laurel is Cinnamonum camphora, and the large trees are found widely scattered in Asia, Japan, and India. When full grown, a camphor laurel can reach a height of 50-100 feet (15-30 meters), and will often spread out so that it is wider than it is tall. The evergreen trees flourish in other tropical environments, and in some parts of the wo
