FAMILY HERBAL. 275 



when they arc fallen, the seed-vessel, or poppy head, 

 grows to the bigness of a large apple, and contains 

 within it a very great quantity of small whitish seeds, 

 with several skinny divisions. 



When any part of the plant is broken, there 

 flows out a thick milky jirce, of a strong, bitter, and 

 hot taste, very like that of opium, and full as dis- 

 agreeable. 



The heads are used with us, and sometimes the 

 seeds. Of the heads boiled in water, is made the 

 syrup of diacodium. The heads are to be dried 

 for this purpose, and the decoction is to be made 

 as strong as possible, and then boiled up with 

 sugar. The seeds are beaten up into emulsions 

 with barley water, and they are good against stran- 

 guries, and heat of urine : they have nothing of the 

 sleepy virtue of the syrups, nor oi the oilier pails or 

 preparations of the poppy. Syrup of diacodium, 

 puts people to deep, but gently, and is safer than 

 opium or laudanum. 



Opium is nothing more than the milky juice of 

 this plant concreted ; it is obtained from the heads : 

 they cut them while upon the plant in the warmer 

 countries, and the juice which flows out of the 

 wound, hardens and becomes opium : they make 

 an inferior kind also, by bruizing and sqeezing the 

 heads. Laudanum is a tincture of this opium 

 made in wine. Either one or the other is given 

 to compose people to sleep, and to abate the sense 

 of pain ; they are also cordial and promote sweat ; 

 but they are to be given with great care and cau- 

 tion, for they are very powerful, and therefore 

 they may be very dangerous medicines. It is 

 good to stop violent purgings and vomiting , but 

 this must be effected by small doses carefully given, 

 The present practice depends upon opium and 

 bleeding for the cure of the bite t)f a mad dog ; 



