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CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal logoLink to CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal
. 1995 Jun 1;152(11):1821–1824.

Camphorated oil: still endangering the lives of Canadian children.

J G Theis 1, G Koren 1
PMCID: PMC1337979  PMID: 7773898

Abstract

Camphor is a volatile, aromatic compound familiar to many people as a principal ingredient in topical home remedies for colds. It is highly toxic when ingested. Although camphorated oil in concentrations of 11% or greater is not longer sold in the United States, preparations containing concentrations of up to 20% are still sold over the counter in Canada. The authors describe two children who suffered severe poisoning after accidental ingestion of a small amount of camphorated oil. Both children exhibited generalized tonic-clonic seizures with subsequent respiratory depression. Treatment was symptomatic, consisting of seizure control and respiratory assistance. The authors argue that because camphorated oil is of questionable benefit and poses a danger to the public it should be removed from the market.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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