68 
NOTE  ON  SO-CALLED  OPIUM  FROM  ILLINOIS. 
the  same  place,  after  having  used  it  on  himself,  and  watched  the 
experience  of  its  curative  powers  on  others,  dwells  on  its  great 
value  in  diseases  of  the  urinary  organs,  and  adds,  all  chronic 
cutaneous  eruptions,  blotches  on  the  face,  including  that  in- 
tractable eruption  acne  punctata,  have  been  entirely  removed." 
With  a  knowledge  of  its  actively  diuretic  operations  it  is  easy 
to  infer  the  adaptation  of  this  water  to  dropsy,  and  to  various 
forms  of  chronic  derangement,  including  atonic  dyspepsia  and 
imperfect  secretion  from  the  liver.  Its  largely  alkaline  and 
chalybeate  character  would  induce  trials  of  it  in  heart-burn  and 
water-brash,  and  in  diarrhoea  assuming  a  chronic  form.  Its 
efficacy  has  indeed  been  tested  with  success  in  the  last  of  these 
diseases.  In  full  doses  the  water  acts,  although  not  with  any 
uniformity,  as  an  aperient;  but  its  apparently  slight  action  in 
this  way  is  accompanied  by  effects  on  the  biliary  secretion  of  a 
more  decided  character  than  would  be  produced  by  strong  purga- 
tives. 
The  quantity  of  the  water  to  be  taken  is  a  half  pint  tumbler- 
ful three  times  a  day,  in  diseases  of  the  kidneys  and  bladder, 
and  when  a  laxative  effect  is  desired.  In  skin  affections,  half  a 
glass  three  times  a  day  will  suffice,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the 
water,  made  tepid,  is  to  be  applied  externally. 
NOTE  ON  A  SAMPLE  OF  SO-CALLED  OPIUM  FROM  ILLINOIS. 
By  William  Procter,  Jr. 
This  "opium  "  was  deposited  by  Dr.  D.  G.  Plummer,  in  the 
exhibition  of  drugs,  etc.,  at  Chicago,  in  Sept.  1869.  It  was  in 
the  form  of  a  block,  two  inches  square  and  four  or  five  inches 
long,  of  a  dark  greenish-brown  color,  narcotic  odor,  and  soft 
uniform  consistence,  having  much  the  appearance  of  a  good  nar- 
cotic extract.  A  section  of  this,  weighing  about  an  ounce,  was 
presented  to  the  writer,  with  the  requst  that  it  should  be  ex- 
amined. On  inquiry  as  to  the  manner  of  obtaining  this  sub- 
stance, it  was  understood  to  be  made  by  the  process  of  Wilson, 
of  Vermont  opium  notoriety,  by  expressing  the  juice  from  the 
whole  plant,  leaves,  stalks,  and  capsules,  and  evaporating  the 
juice  to  the  proper  consistence  without  any  extraction  of  the 
