ON A. SUBSTITUTE FOR M'MUNN's ELIXIR OF OPIUM. 211 
ON A SUBSTITUTE FOR McMUNN'S ELIXIR OF OPIUM. 
Br Eugene Dupuy, Pharmaceutist, New York. 
Within a few years the use of this preparation of opium has 
been much extended in the United States, through the medium 
of the press, as well as from the commendation of a numerous 
class of our practitioners, who found it to possess a sedative proper- 
ty which the ordinary Tincture of Opium does not possess in a 
similar way. Yet many amongst them reluctantly made use of it, 
from the fact that its mode of preparation was kept from the public, 
and that the usual abuse of such preparations, fostered by directions 
for use without need of medical aid, by mothers, nurses, etc., was 
a great objection to its employment by that class of practitioners 
who want to know, not only what is the effect of the medicines 
they administer, but also, what are their component parts, and how 
they are prepared. Having such men among the physicians 
honoring my establishment with their custom, I have endeavored 
to prepare for their use, substitutes for some of the nostrums pos- 
sessed of some efficacy. As a result of my endeavors, I will 
state that my substitute for McMunn's Elixir has been tested for 
about six years, and that it has been found to possess the sedative 
property peculiar to it, without any of the unpleasant effects at- 
tributed to Laudanum. 
The late Dr. Smyth Rodgers, formerly Professor in the New 
York College of Pharmacy, during his painful illness, had 
frequent recourse to it, and even preferred it to McMunn's pre- 
paration, according to his attending physician's statements, al- 
though he had, at first, great reluctance to try anything else. An 
advantage in my substitute is, that its manipulation is exceedingly 
simple, and that a country physician having at hand the necessary 
ingredients, can prepare it as well as the more expert pharma- 
ceutist. I prepare it as follows : 
Opium, - 3x. 
Water, - - - q. s. 
Alcohol, 95 p. ct. - ^iv. 
The opium is to be made into a thin pulp with .water ; the 
mixture allowed to stand in a cool place 48 hours, then transferred 
