The Poppy. 75 



doubt. Wood and Bache say, that commerce is supplied with 

 Opium chiefly from Hindostan, Persia, and the Asiatic domi- 

 nions of Turkey. When good, it has a strong, peculiar, narcotic 

 odor, and a bitter, somewhat acrid taste. When long chewed, it 

 excites much irritation in the mouth, and even blisters when un- 

 accustomed to its use. The color is of a reddish brown or deep 

 fawn, the texture compact and uniform, its specific gravity 1.336. 

 When drawn over paper it leaves an interrupted trace of a light 

 brown color. It is often soft in the interior of the mass, and is in 

 this state tenacious ; but when exposed to air it generally hardens, 

 and ultimately becomes brittle, breaking with a uniform shining 

 fracture, and affording, when pulverized, a yellowish brown pow- 

 der, which becomes adhesive upon a slight elevation of tempera- 

 ture. It readily inflames upon the application of a lighted taper. 

 It is partially soluble in water, alcohol, ether, wine, vinegar, and 

 lemon juice, to all of which it imparts a deep brown color. We 

 are told that when it is triturated with hot water, five parts out 

 of twelve are dissolved, six suspended, and one remains unaf- 

 fected. This is viscid and tenacious, presenting characters 

 strongly analogous to those of Caoutchouc. 



Morphine and Narcotine are the two most important princi- 

 ples obtained from Opium ; the former of which is considered 

 to possess nearly all its good properties without the injurious, 

 and is now universally used ; and to be found either in the form 

 of Sulphate or Acetate in all our shops. Opium is a stimulant 

 narcotic; and as well known, perhaps, as the remedy of love- 

 sick stupids, as for its valuable medicinal properties. Like most, 

 in fact all poisons of its class, a very large dose is less fatal than 

 one just sufficient to produce death. About six years ago we 

 carefully weighed out sixty grains or one drachm of Opium, 

 wrapped it in paper, and placed it in our pocket. We retired 

 early, perhaps four hours afterwards, having taken tea in the in- 

 terval ; we awoke covered with a cold, clammy sweat, and gasp- 

 ing respiration, and there was enough consciousness still left to 

 be aware of the real cause of all this, which darted with terrible 

 conviction across our mind ; awakening our brother who slept 

 with us, and who we must say behaved very lazily, we dis- 

 patched him for fifty grains of Ipecac, and to alarm the house. 

 He did both, and we remember little more for several days after- 

 wards, a state of low delirium having supervened. We found 



