PAKT II. 

 VEGETABLE DRUGS, 



SECTION I.— DEUGS ACTING UPON THE BRAIN. 

 Class 1. — Depressing the Brain. 



Opium. Opium. (U. S. k B. P.) 



Derivation. — The concrete, milky exudation obtained by 

 incising the unripe capsules of Papaver somniferum Linue 

 (Nat. Old. Papaveraceae), and yielding in its normal, moist 

 condition, not less than 9 per cent, of crystallized morphine, 

 when assayed by the official process (U. S. P.) Opium is 

 procured from Turkey, Asia Minor, Persia, India and Egypt. 

 The Smyrna, or Turkey opium is the more common variety 

 used in the United States. It occurs in irregular, globular 

 masses, covered with poppy leaves and capsules of a species 

 of dock, weighing from 5 to 1 pound. 



Properties. — Irregular, or sub-globular cakes, with the 

 remnants of poppy leaves and fruits of a species of rumex 

 adhering to the surface ; plastic, or of a harder consistency ; 

 chestnut-brown or darker, and somewhat shining ; internally 

 shewing some tears and fragments of vegetable tissue. It 

 has a sharp, narcotic odor, and a peculiar, bitter taste. It 

 yields its medicinal properties to water, alcohol, and diluted 

 acids, forming dark brown solutions. Ether extracts its 

 principles in part. 



Constitiients. — There are nineteen or more alkaloids ; the 

 three first are used in human medicine, but narceine is of 

 no value in veterinary medicine. 



