Observations and Experiments on Opium. 1 9 



English opium is generally in smaller cakes, frequently thin 

 and flat, of a more permanent consistence, of a clear smooth 

 fracture and is in a great measure destitute of leaves, stalks, 

 and other impurities which generally accompany the prece- 

 ding varieties. It has the general character of being superi- 

 or in quality to the Turkey opium which chemical analysis* 

 has determined. The quality of opium differs materially, 

 even that from the same country, climate and soil. This 

 arises, no doubt in many instances, from the manner in which 

 it is prepared and cultivated. It is frequently found in our 

 market mixed with leaves, stalks, seeds, &c. and from the 

 great proportion of these admixtures in some opium, it would 

 lead to the conjecture that the leaves were worked in when 

 the opium was in a very soft and recent state, for the purpose 

 of increasing its weight and the degree of its consistence. 

 I have seen opium whose external characters possessed all the 

 features of superior quality, and when broken, exposed a 

 large proportion of the leaves and capsules of the poppy, 

 which although it does not alter the particular effects, must 

 diminish the activity of the opium in direct proportion to the 

 quantity and weight of these extraneous and insoluble mat- 

 ters, and I have ascertained by careful experiments that the 



* It is to chemistry that we are indebted for many important facts in 

 relation to opium, and for the knowledge of the nature of morphia, and 

 narcotine, the two active principles of opium, thus disclosing- a very 

 singular fact, that principles of a directly opposite nature exist in the 

 same substance, and exercise individually their particular effects on the 

 constitution. This entirely subverts several hypotheses which had been 

 framed to account for the modus operandi of this medicine. Many are 

 opposed to chemical analysis as a correct mode of discovering the virtues 

 of medicines particularly vegetable substances. Dr. Young among oth- 

 ers was of this opinion, and stated as an argument to support his doc- 

 trine, that Geoffroy discovered by chemical analysis that the soporific 

 quality of opium depended upon the sulphur which it contained. (See 

 Young on opium.) We might agree with Dr. Young, if the science of 

 chemistry was in no greater advancement than in the times alluded to, 

 and did experiments upon opium now lead to similar conclusions, we 

 might as well reject as useless, the analysis of cinchona because a chem- 

 ist has asserted that the comparative quantities of the active principles 

 (quinine and cinchonine) yielded by the Carthagena bark were in pro- 

 portion to the quantity yielded by the Calisaya as one to seventy. If 

 errors so palpable as these would have retarded the spirit of investiga- 

 tion, or diminished the zeal of the scrutinizing chemist, the science, in- 

 stead of holding the high reputation it now possesses, would long since 

 have dwindled into obscurity. We must however expect that some 

 errors and absurdities will creep into every department of science. 



