PREPARATION OF SMYRNA OPIUM, 
251 
I think it unnecessary to speak of the testing of the red cincho- 
nas, as they resemble the yellow, of which I have just spoken, and 
all I have stated respecting the latter is applicable to them. — 
London Pharm, Jour., March 1, 1851, from Repertoire de Pharm. 
ON THE PREPARATION OF SMYRNA OPIUM. 
By M. Landerer. 
The so-called Smyrna opium is prepared in the interior of Asia 
Minor, and chiefly in Kara Chissar, and in the neighborhood of 
Magnesia. 
The plantations are in the neighborhood of a few small houses, 
which contain copper-kettles fixed in the walls, casks and shelves 
for drying the opium-cakes. The exhalations emitted by these 
plantations, especially in the morning and after sunset, are de- 
scribed by the Turks as very dangerous, and they avoid them by 
retiring towards evening to their huts, which they do not leave 
till after the rising of the sun. The author has himself experienced 
the effects, which manifested themselves by giddiness, dejection 
and uneasiness. As soon as the moisture of the atmosphere (which 
in the East is proportionably greater than in other countries, and 
supplies the place of the rain) begins towards evening to be con- 
densed, a strong narcotic smell is developed. This, in those unac- 
customed to it, gives rise, in about a quarter of an hour, to head- 
ache and nausea. The plants, grown partly from white, partly 
from blue seeds, attain a height of six to eight feet ; and the 
laborers engaged in making the incisions into the capsules are 
quite invisible when working in the plantations. The size of the 
poppy-heads differ considerably ; but if they are intended to grow 
very large, for the purpose of obtaining a greater quantity of 
opium of the first quality, about half or three-quarters of the heads 
are cut off, by which the remainder often attain the size of a child's 
head. The capsules which have been cut off are dried, and from 
the seeds, which are called chas , chas, the natives prepare oil, 
which is exported to France ; they also make use of it for culinary 
