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klip247

Camphor Poisoning?

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I just took a hot bath and dropped around 60mls give or take of camphor essential oil in there, it was really strong and the vapours were a little irritating to the eyes, but I opened the window to get some fresh air, I sat back down into the bath, after a few minutes I realized that im starting to get some mild irritation on my body, a little bit later on I had to get out because it was getting way too intense, after getting out I saw rashes developing on parts of my body. Is this dangerous and should I be worried about the vapours that were inhaled?

Im feeling abit light headed at the moment, its been about 15 minutes after getting out of the bath.

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ICopy and paste from wiki,"n larger quantities, it is poisonous when ingested and can cause seizures, confusion, irritability, and neuromuscular hyperactivity. In extreme cases, even topical application of camphor may lead to hepatotoxicity.[15] [16] Lethal doses in adults are in the range 50–500 mg/kg (orally). Generally, two grams cause serious toxicity and four grams are potentially lethal.[17]

In 1980, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration set a limit of 11% allowable camphor in consumer products, and totally banned products labeled as camphorated oil, camphor oil, camphor liniment, and camphorated liniment (except "white camphor essential oil", which contains no significant amount of camphor). Since alternative treatments exist, medicinal use of camphor is discouraged by the FDA, except for skin-related uses, such as medicated powders, which contain only small amounts of camphor.

[edit"

it is pretty readily absorbed through the skin. My handbook of poisonings says the principle manifestation of camphor poisoning is convultions.

Might be best to get someone to take you to the hospital just in case

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"The main chemical components are a-pinene, camphene, b-pinene, sabinene, phellandrene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, y-terpinene, p-cymene, terpinolene, furfural, camphor, linalool, bornyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol, caryophyllene, borneol, piperitone, geraniol, safrole, cinnamaldehyde, methyl cinnamate and eugenol.

The brown and yellow camphor oil has a very high safrole content, with yellow having between 10 - 20 % and the brown having 80%. These two oils are considered toxic, as well as carcinogenic."

http://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential-oils/camphor.htm#Oil%20properties

WHat colour was the oil?

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Well the oil was clear shruman, im not sure when one should expect to perceive any symptoms of poisoning but so far the initial lightheadedness is almost gone and the rash has started to disappear with the irritation gone completely. I absorbed through the skin and via the airway by inhaling the vapours, I do wish to note that there was an underlying nausea that was there throughout the duration of the "poisoning" which would peak in intensity then drop back down again. I was in a slightly confused state and my sense of touch was enhanced, breathing felt a bit erratic (although this could have been because I was feeling some anxiety over the whole situation), my body was shivering a little bit as well. A kind of drowsiness has started to develop trailing off those initial symptoms.

Thanks for the help guys, this is definitely one of those touched the fire and got burned so not doing it again type of scenario :slap: I think 3 drops would have been sufficient enough, 60mls was overdose.

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