PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM. 71 



the opinions held by Arabian authorities, which do not contain 

 anything of much interest. Khases' chapter upon the Poppy 

 contains many extracts from the Greek authorities on Opium, 

 with a few from Arabian writers, which, however, contain 

 nothing of much interest, after what we have given from 

 Dioscorides and Avicenna. Like Serapion, he says from half a 

 scruple to a scruple is a dose, and that two drachms will prove 

 fatal. Joannitius seems to say that it binds the bowels in 

 general, but yet has some laxative power. In the 'Book of 

 Experience/ as quoted by Ebn Baithar, poppy-juice is recom- 

 mended in complaints of the eyes, and in pains of the head 

 when applied to the forehead. One of his Arabian authorities 

 mentions its good effects in diarrhoea, and it is also spoken 

 favourably of as an application to burns." 



Gerarde has the following remarks on this plant, evidently 

 taken from the earlier writers. " The seede, as Galen saith in 

 his booke of the faculties of nourishments, is good to season 

 breade with ; but the white is better than the blacke. He also 

 addeth that the same is colde and causeth sleepe, and yieldeth 

 no commendable nourishment to the bodie ; it is often used in 

 comfits, or served at table with other junketting dishes. 



u The oil which is pressed out of it is pleasant and delight- 

 full to be eaten, and is taken with bread or any other wares 

 in meate, without any sauce is cooling. 



" A greater force is in the knobs or heads, which do specially 

 prevail to moove sleepe, and to stay and represse distillations 

 or rheumes, and come neere in force to Opium, but more 

 gentle. Opium, or the harder juices of Poppie heads, is 

 strongest of all ; meconium (which is the juice of the heads 

 and leaves) is weaker. Both of them any waies taken, either 

 inwardly or outwardly, applied to the heade provoke sleepe. 

 Opium, somewhat too plentifully taken, doth also bring death, 

 as Plinie truelie writeth. 



" It mitigateth all kindes of paines, but it leaveth behinde 

 it oftentimes a mischiefe woorse than the disease itselfe, and 

 that hard to be cured, as a dead palsie and such like. 



