The purpose of our study was to determine the value of a camphorphenol mixture as a cure for ringworm infections of the feet.
Francis1 wrote that he had used a combination of equal parts of camphor and phenol with success in the treatment of "athlete's foot," the term "athlete's foot" being interpreted as referring to any type of fungous infection of the feet. This preparation was later brought to the attention of the public in a popular monthly magazine.2
Scott3 said: "An unexplained chemical reaction takes place between camphor and phenol, making the latter a relatively innocuous material."
Phenol has other interesting properties. It is made weaker by alcohol and glycerin. However, of the three—camphor, alcohol and glycerin—camphor weakens it most, glycerin next and alcohol least.
The fungicidal effectiveness of equal parts of camphor and phenol was compared with that of an alcoholic solution of 2 per