After reading Tuesday's post about Vicks VapoRub, Dr. Bosworth reminded us of a few of the potential pitfalls of using VapoRub. A few years ago there were some deaths associated with camphor (one of the ingredients in VapoRub) toxicity. The camphor levels in these incidents were very high, and were likely ingested. So, take home point #1: Don't eat it.
Last year a study came out that showed respiratory distress in small infants and children who used VapoRub, as it caused them to have more mucus production. Take home point #2: Don't use it near the mouth or the nose.