20 NAT. ORDER. PAPAVERACEiE. 



somniferum. The seeds, when perfectly ripe, are said to contain 

 but very little of the narcotic principle ; and, being mostly com- 

 posed of a mucilage, are often used as an article of food. They 

 have rather a sweetish, bland taste, somewhat like almonds. 



The opium from this plant is mostly procured from Arabia, 

 and is often found to be of a poor quality. It is said that the in- 

 habitants frequently bruise the capsules together with the seeds ; 

 boil them in water, and evaporate the decoction to the consistence 

 of a sirup, which is mixed with the genuine drug, for the sake of 

 gain : the j uice of other plants have been mixed with it, which is 

 a fraud that is sometimes attended with serious consequences, 

 though with difficulty detected. 



Water extracts some of its virtues by infusion, assuming a 

 brown color ; and, when a solution of iron is added to it, becomes 

 black, indicating the presence of astringent matter. It is in part 

 soluble in alcohol, wine, vinegar, &c. One of the chief constitu- 

 ents of opium is a volatile matter, which is so active as to occasion 

 giddiness, trembling, &c., in the persons employed in collecting the 

 juice. This principle is extracted by water and spirit in distilla- 

 tion ; hence the decoction of opium impairs its virtues. Roasting, 

 also, by depriving it of this active volatile matter, injures the drug. 

 By age these volatile particles become dissipated ; and, to prevent 

 this as much as possible, the gum should be always kept in wet, 

 moist situations. 



When opium is taken in large doses by the Turks, it occasions 

 a remarkable exhilaration of spirits: they have various agreeable 

 ima<^es before their eyes ; lose all fear of death; and occasionally 

 become very violent and ferocious : in fact, it acts upon them in a 

 similar manner that intoxicating liquors do upon us ; and they in- 

 dulc^e in it in consequence of their religion forbidding any excess 

 in intoxicating drinks. Some of them will take as much as four 

 or five drachms, or even an ounce, daily, without apparently any 

 injury, not having any of the above symptoms, but only a degree 



