<2 On the Effects of Opium 



dltional support, but rather because 'in the 

 discharge of a duty for a long season neglected^ 

 I am obliged to have recourse to those means, 

 ,)vhich the present opportunity allows me. 



in this' disquisition, it may be considered, 

 that I enter upon the investigation of a subject, 

 which has already been rendered barren by the 

 diligence of preceding enquirers, and that con- 

 sequently nothing of novelty can be expected. 

 It is not under this expectation that I take up 

 the pen, for how much soever may have been 

 effected, something yet remains to be done by 

 the diligent and patient enquirer, and, though 

 nothing could be gained beyond a confirmation- 

 of established opinions, yet if this be. done 

 through the meana of accurate and frequently 

 repeated experiraentsj something is added to 

 the stock of information, and it must be consi- 

 dered at the least as possessing a relative value. 



These experiments are not however destitute 

 of some novelty in the arrangement, and they 

 will be found to exhibit, in a dear analytical 

 succession, the effects produced by opium upon 

 the different parts of the animal machine. But 

 It is not clear by any means, that the phy- 

 .siologists of this day are agreed upon many 

 points J which wilFbe brought forwards in this 

 essay ; and mdre is required to be done, befort 

 Xh'- iu'.ject ean.be considered as exhausted. 



