PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 337 



the nervous fyftem is cut ofF, by deftroy- 

 ing the origin of thoie nerves, or cutting 

 them through in their progrefs. Whence 

 it follows, that the opium muft have 

 produced thefe deleterious effeds, by 

 being abforbed and conveyed with the 

 blood to organs of the body diftant 

 from thofe to which it was primarily ap- 

 plied, contrary to the prevailing opinion 

 concerning the a«5lion of opium, founded 

 on what themoft eminent of the late wri- 

 ters have delivered *, who fuppofe, that, 

 if it is abforbed, its effeds are fo incon- 

 fiderable, that they may be almofl intirely 

 overlooked. 



2. This experiment fliows too, that 

 abforption is carried on with very fmall 

 afliftance from the nerves, as their origin 

 was deftroyed 20 hours before the folu- 

 tion of opium was applied. 



Some general Remarks from thefe EfXperi" 

 ments ivith Optum* 



Opium can operate on frogs with fuch 

 Vol. III. Uu violence, 



* Jones, Alfton, Van Swietcn, Kaau Boerhaave, and 

 DrWhjtt, as above cited. 



