185 [NAR 
NARCOTICS: 
CALLED ALSO ~ 
SEDATIVES; ANODYNES; HYPNOTICS: SOPORIFICS. 
_ Substances endued with intense power on the 
general, but especially on the nervous system and 
sensorium, inducing a primary vivid, but evan- 
escent excitement; and a secondary depression 
below the point consistent with customary action 
of the cerebral functions, and vital powers, and 
hence inducing sleep, insensibility and torpor. 
‘These primary and secondary effects are perceiva- 
ble in all narcotics, properly so called, bat they 
evince no determinate relation as pertaining to” 
each individual] substance. ‘The same narcotic at 
one time producing but slight primary effect, with 
intense secondary action: while at another the pri- 
mary effect is the most vivid, and the secondary 
is disproportionately inconsequent. If particular 
narcotics evince this discrepant strength of their 
first and second effects, at different times on the 
same person, they discover a still greater varia- 
tion in relative consequences, administered to dif- 
ferent individuals. ‘There is no class of remedies 
which is so materially affected by peculiarities of 
constitution, not to say idiosyncracies ; by acci- 
dental circumstances ; by moral and physical ex- 
citement, as the one under notice. And I may 
assure you. that no class requires closer study and 
attention, in order to avail yourselves of all the 
