OPIUM. 
be attributed its rah a qualities. Tt is no doubt on this 
medica 
Moft of them agree that 
the fedative effets which refult from it, are greater than 
forded. 
fa he capfules are powerfully narcotic, and an lyn 
boiled in water they impart to the water their narcotic haa 
together with other juices which they have in common 
vegetable matters in general. 
out, fuffered to fettle, clarified with whites 
ao to a clue 
anda ae one is now received in the Edinburgh ey 
copeia. It und very convenient to prepare the fyrup 
aie thie extra, by diffolving oy ram in two an 
a hal 
s of fimple fyru he fupes | ALi albi,”’ 
as diredied by Both colleges, is a ‘teal a yne, and often 
fucceeds in procuring fleep, wher opium ails it is more 
efpecially adapted to children. White poppy heads are alfo 
ufed externally in fomentations, ay sane or more fre- 
quently added to the ** deco&tum 
en the juice flows of itfelf, through eno made in 
the poppy heads, it is aie cae called opium. When drawn 
t rather to be called meconium. The 
it is produce o make great u 
it to be exported. "Ss that ir is — le er aa is ordina- 
rily ufed among us, and fold for opiu 
Kemofer relates, that the heads, ae almoft ripe, are 
eounael with a five-edged inftrument, by which as many 
parallel incifions are made at once from top to bottom ; that 
the juice which exudes is next day fcraped off, and the other 
fide of the head wounded in like manner ; and that the juice 
is afterwards worked with a little water, till it acquires the 
confiftence, tenacity, and brightnefs of the fineft pitc 
The moft circumftantial detail of the culture of the 
m 
poppy, a of the met £ from it, 
ts that given by Mr. Kerr, as practife the province of 
fays, “ the field b well prepared by the 
plough and harrow, and reduced to an exa& level fuperficies, 
is then divided into quadrangular areas of feven feet 
i » and five feet in breadth, leaving two feet of interval, 
{ec 
The i iquor, Rrongly preiled 
d 
{ules afford little or no juice. e 
the heat of the day, a cicatrix would be too foon formed. 
Pp then 
obular fhape, and about four pounds in w 
laid into little earthen bafins, to be further SeGceed. 
cakes are covered over with the poppy or tobacco- iar 
and dried until they are fit for fale. Opium is frequently 
adulterated with cow-dung, the extra&t of the poppy plant 
procured by boiling, and various other fubftances, which the 
2 in fecrefy. Opium is here a confiderable branch of com- 
merce. ‘There are about 600,000 pounds of it annually ex- 
ported from the Ganges.” Med. Obf. and Inq. vol. v 
P 37: 
Opium is imported into Europe from Perfia, Arabia, 
and other warm regions of Afia, ' It is brought into this 
country in chelts from Turkey and I he Turkey 
opium is in flat pieces, covered with leaves, and the reddifh 
capfules of fome {pecies of rumex, which is confidered as an 
of 
indication of its goodne™, as the inferior kinds 
have none of thefe capfules adhering to them. This a 
generally contains about 4th part of impurities. 
fan opium is in round mailes, covered with fuccefflive layers 
of leaves, to the thicknefs nearly of th of an inch. 
r.Charles Alfton, profeffor of botany and the materia 
medica 
Is ge 
ie authorities of emery, 
mine, in the Mem 
juice being expo e open ie in a few 
tothe confiftence ae Goan: an of a hery, ~~ bitter 
tafte, and piarieae {mell, are ce fo than the common 
dark yel lowifh-brown colour on the ontfide, 
iid pop 
a oa colour; but Dr. Alfton qin cee but accidental, 
as the milk foon turns black omthe knife. He alfo flight! 
