126 MEDICAL BOTAJNY. 



as a purgative or diuretic, according to the peculiar Idiosyncrasy of the indi- 

 vidual. 



When opium or any of its preparations have been taken in poisonous 

 doses, the great object is to evacuate the contents of the stomach. This may 

 be done either by means of emetics or the stomach-pump. The best emetic 

 in these cases is the sulphate of zinc in large doses; when not to be procured, 

 the sulphate of copper. Tartar emetic or ipecacuanha may be resorted to, or 

 if not at hand, a spoonful of mustard or common salt mixed in a tumbler of 

 warm water, will often prove effectual. Where it can be procured, the sto- 

 mach-pump is the most effectual mode of thoroughly removing the poison; 

 after it has been thoroughly evacuated, the administration of coffee, and of 

 some of the milder stimuli, has been found useful, and every means must be 

 resorted to to prevent the patient from falling into a lethargy, by keeping him 

 in continual motion ; in extreme cases, flagellation to the palms of the hands 

 and soles of the feet has been found very successful. The affusion of cold 

 water has also been used in some cases with decided benefit, even where 

 other means had failed. When the respiratory function is imperfectly per- 

 formed, artificial inflation of the lungs must be practised. General bleeding 

 in these cases, more especially whilst any of the poison remains in the sto- 

 mach, is decidedly injurious, as the abstraction of blood favours absorption. 

 Topical bloodletting by means of cups to the head, is, however, requisite in 

 some cases; where a poisonous dose of opium has been taken, it generally 

 proves fatal within twelve hours; those who survive longer, usually recover, 

 though cases have occurred where there was a partial recovery, followed by 

 a fatal termination. 



The appearances after death in cases of poisoning by opium, are by no 

 means marked, or indicative of the cause, being principally confined to a tur- 

 gescence of the vessels of the brain, and even this is not always present. 

 Where there are marks of inflammation in the alimentary canal, these are to 

 be attributed to the vehicle in which the narcotic has been taken, and not to 

 the poison itself. 



Opium is given in a vast variety of forms ; in substance as powder, pill, 

 or electuary, in solution, in tincture, and in combination with the vegetable 

 acids, and in these various forms, either alone or in combination with other 

 articles. Of late years, morphia and its salts have been much employed in- 

 stead of opium or its preparations. The forms recognised by the U. S. Phar- 

 macopoeia are pilulce opii, confectio opii, pulv. ipecac, et opii, tinctura opii, tinc- 

 tura opii camphorata, vinum opii, morphia, morphias acetas, morphias sulphas, 



The medium dose of opium is one grain ; of the tincture, twenty-five drops$ 

 and of morphia and its salts, one-sixth of a grain. 



For full information on the subject of the preparations, reference may be 

 had to Pereira's Elements of Mat. Med. vol. ii. 



Several other species of poppy have been used in 'medicine, but none of 

 them have attained any celebrity except the P. rluzas or corn-poppy of Europe, 

 now naturalized in some parts of the United States. This beautiful flower is 

 exceedingly common in the grain fields of Europe, and proves very detri- 

 mental to the agriculturist. It flowers in June and July, when its brilliant 

 red petals render it a conspicuous object. Its capsules contain a milky juice 

 in small quantities, similar to that of the P. somniferum, but it is the petals 

 only that are employed medicinally. These form the basis of a syrup which 

 is recognised as officinal in some of the Pharmacopoeias, but is possessed of 

 very feeble powers, and is seldom prescribed in this country. It is of a beau- 

 tiful red colour, and has the power of tinging the mucous membrane of the 

 stomach of a bluish-red, resembling that caused by inflammation. The dose 

 of the syrup of poppies is from half an ounce to an ounce. 



