40  LIQUOR  OPII  COMPOSITUS. 
Depurated,  assayed  solution  of  opium,       14  minims, 
(Equal  to  one-third  of  a  grain  of  sulphate 
of  morphia.) 
Stronger  alcohol,  13  minims. 
Purified  chloroform,  1  minim. 
Acetic  ether,  s.  g.  0*880,  2  minims. 
Maximum  dose,  30  minims. 
In  the  very  full  dose  of  25  minims  there  will  be, — 
Of  the  opium  solution  (equal  to  about  one- 
quarter  of  a  grain  of  sulphate  of  morphia),  11-67  minims, 
Stronger  alcohol,  10-83  " 
Purified  chloroform,  '83  " 
Acetic  ether,  1-67  " 
25-00 
In  the  average  adult  dose  of  20  minims  there  will  be, — 
Of  opium  solution  (equal  to  about  one-fifth  of 
a  grain  of  sulphate  of  morphia),  9*33  minims, 
Stronger  alcohol,  8'67  " 
Purified  chloroform,  -67  " 
Acetic  ether,  1-33  " 
20-00 
This  preparation,  when  dropped  from  a  common  one-ounce 
vial,  gives  about  eight  hundred  and  twelve  drops  to  the 
fiuidounce  ;*  or  about  one  and  seven-tenths  (1*7  drops) 
drops  to  the  minim.  Therefore  thirty-four  drops  is  about 
equal  to  twenty  minims.  Thirty  drops  is  perhaps  the  more  com- 
mon usage  as  the  ordinary  adult  dose,  while  twenty -five  drops  is 
often  sufficient  for  adult  females,  or  even  adult  males  who  are 
susceptible  to  opiates. 
It  is  occasionally  required  in  double,  or  even  in  three  times 
the  maximum  dose  as  above  given,  and  then  will  of  course  con- 
^  The  first  two  fluidrachms  dropped  from  full  bottle,  190  drops. 
The  second  two     "  176  " 
The  third  two       "  201  « 
The  fourth  two     "  246  « 
