548 



HISTORY OP THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



quent absence of the sun with rainy weatlier, 

 were found to be very great drawbacks to the 

 successful cultivation of this drug, in consid- 

 erable quantity. In strength and medicinal 

 effects, however, the British opium equalled that 

 of warmer climates. 



There are two kinds of opium imported into 

 this country : 



Turhcy opium is a solid compact substance, 

 possessing a considerable degree of tenacity, with 

 a shining fracture, and uniform appearance when 

 broken; and of a dark brown colour, exciting 

 at first when chewed, a nauseous, bitter taste, 

 which soon becomes acrid, with some degree of 

 warmth, and having a peculiar, heavy, disagi'ee- 

 able smell. The best pieces are the flat or com- 

 pressed, the round masses being of inferior 

 quality. 



East Indian opium has much less consistence, 

 being sometimes not much tliicker than tar, and 

 always ductile. Its colour is much darker, its 

 taste more nauseous, and less bitter, and its smell 

 rather empyreumatic. It is considerably cheaper 

 than Turkish opium, and is supposed to be of 

 one-half the strengtli. One-eighth of the weight 

 of the cakes is allowed for the large quantity 

 of leaves with which they ai-e enveloped. In 

 the East Indies, when opium is not good enough 

 to bring a certain price, it is destroyed under the 

 inspection of public officers. 



Opium is soluble in water and spirits; the 

 latter forms the tincture of opium or laudanum. 



The chemical analysis of opium shows it to 

 be a compound of morpliium and narcotine, the 

 two principles on which its action on the body 

 depends; as also of mecomic acid, a substance 

 like caoutchouc, one like fibrina, a, resin, gum, 

 starch, fixed oil, and lignine. 



The action of opium on the animal system 

 has been the subject of much controversy. Some 

 asserting that it is a direct sedative, while others 

 maintain that it is a powerful stimulus. The 

 truth appears to be, that it is capable in the first 

 instance, of producing great excitement, while 

 the sedative effects, which always succeed, are 

 much gi'eater in proportion than the previous 

 excitement. In small doses it is decidedly 

 stimulant. The pulse is accelerated, the heat 

 of the body is raised, and the mental energies 

 roused and excited. These effects are succeeded 

 by languor, lassitude, and torpor. In larger 

 doses, the stimulating effects are not so apparent; 

 but the excita.bility of the system is remarkably 

 diminished, and confusion of the head, giddiness, 

 and sleep, are produced. In excessive doses, it 

 causes headache, delirium, apoplexy, and death. 



By habit, the effects of this drug on the body 

 are greatly diminished; one, two, and three 

 grains produce marked effects at first; and cases 

 have occurred of death from swallowing even 

 four grains : by degrees, however, the habit of 



daily taking opium will enable a person to 

 swallow with impunity 20, 40, 60, and 100 

 grains, and upwards. The habitual use and abuse 

 of opium, produces the same effects on the con- 

 stitution as dram drinking, such as dyspepsia, 

 with total loss of tone of the stomach; tremors, 

 palsy, stupidity, general emaciation, and pre- 

 mature decay. In eastern countries, opium is 

 not only taken into the stomach, but is also 

 smoked like tobacco, the inhaled fumes produc- 

 ing the same stupifying eftects as the solid drug. 

 Few of tiiose infatuated wretches who once 

 yield to this debasing vice, ever have the resolu- 

 tion or power to abandon it. 



The use of this celebrated medicine, though 

 not kno\vn, or at least alluded to, by Hippocrates, 

 was familiar to Diagoras, who immediately suc- 

 ceeded him. It was anciently prepared at Thebes, 

 and hence tlie name of Thebaicum by wliich it 

 was long known. This differs from the meconium 

 of the ancients, which was the expressed juice 

 of tire plant, obtained by decoction in water. 



As a medicine, it is the chief narcotic of 

 modern practice, and is universally used in dis- 

 eases to mitigate jjain, diminish over sensibility 

 of the system, to procure sleep, check looseness 

 of the intestines, and other excessive discliarges. 

 It is improper, however, in all cases of an inflam- 

 matory nature, where previous bleeding or eva- 

 cuations have not been used. It also requires 

 mxicli skill and management in its exhibition. 

 Reference always being Iiad to the peculiarities 

 of the constitution, the nature of the disease, 

 and the regulation of tlie dose, or the medicines 

 with which it may be combined. Thus, witlr 

 ipecacuan,it produces perspiration; with calomel, 

 it allays certain states of inflammation; and with 

 purgatives, it relieves colic, pain, and looseness 

 of the bowels. 



Lettuce (lactuca virosa). Syngenesia, poly- 

 gamia, equalis of Linnseus. This is a common 

 perennial plant in meadows, and on the sides of 

 ditches. The stalk is about three feet high, the 

 root leaves are cut into deep clefts, the edges 

 serrated; the stem leaves are arrow-shaped, entire, 

 and embrace the stalks. The flowers are com- 

 posed of numerous, equal, yellow florets, and 

 appear in July and August. 



The plant has a strong, unpleasant smell, very 

 similar to that of opium; and a bitter, acrid 

 taste. It abounds in a milky juice, which, when 

 scraped off and hardened, has a strong resem- 

 blance to opium. 



Dioscorides, the Greek physician, seems to 

 have looked upon the effects of the juice of this 

 plant as similar to that of the white poppy. 

 Dr Collin of Vienna first brought it into notice 

 in modern times, as a cure for dropsies. It has 

 not, however, in further experience, maintained 

 its reputation. 



The common garden lettuce also yields a milky 



