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Wolf Den FoodsWolf Den FoodsSurvival Book
Index

C · C10H16O

Camphor

mod hazard

Also: gum camphor

First aidPestFire

A strong-smelling solid used in chest rubs and as a moth-and-mouse deterrent. It is toxic if eaten, and it is a fire risk next to oxidizers.

Shelf life
Indefinite in a tight tin (it sublimes — it vanishes into air)
Container
Airtight metal or glass. It will perfume everything nearby.
Grade
USP camphor for topical rubs; keep away from children

What it does

  • ▸Traditional chest / muscle rubs (commercial Vicks-style products are dosed; raw camphor is easy to overdo)
  • ▸Moth and rodent scent barrier in closed trunks — not in food rooms

Store

  • ▸Sealed, away from oxidizers, away from kids. It will scent a whole closet.

Hazards

  • ▸Poisonous if swallowed. Especially dangerous for children.
  • ▸Flammable. Never with pool shock or permanganate.

Never mix

Calcium hypochloritePotassium permanganateHousehold bleach

In the field

Prefer finished commercial rubs over mixing raw camphor. If you store the raw gum, treat it like a solvent: sealed, labeled, out of reach.

Source

Pharmacy USP blocks. Do not buy mystery mothballs — many are naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, different toxins.