Opium.

Manawatu Herald, 10 July 1894, Page 3

Opium.

Opium is the concrete juice of the capsules or seed vessels of a certain species of poppy (Papaver somniferat), one of the most anciently known and described plants. Homer speaks of the poppy as growing in gardens.

The best opium, that which possesses the strongest medicinal powers is cultivated in Asia Minor.

It is a somewhat remarkable fact that among the thousands of individuals, cultivators, and employees with whom the factory is filled during the receiving and manufacturing seasons, no complaints are ever heard of any injurious effect resulting from the influence of the drug, whilst they all remain quite as free from general sickness as persons unconnected with the establishment. It would appear that the drug cannot enter the system through unbroken skin ; absorption by the lungs takes place, but only to a very slight extent. The seeds, which are plentiful, yield a pale yellow oil, which is obtained by expression ; the refuse forms an extremely wholesome and nutritious food for cows. On analysis, opium is found to contain several constituents, and its composition is somewhat complicated. Twenty or more substances have been found in it ; the most important are morphine, papaverine, narcotine, navceine, codeina, and meconine. The narcotic properties of opium are due mainly to the morphine, which in the best specimens of the drug exists in .he proportion of ten per cent. Narcotine has very different properties ; it has been used as a substitute for quinine. Codeina is somewhat akin to morphine. For medicinal purposes, opium is used in various forms ; as a solid ; in combination with spirit of wine (laudanum), which extracts the active principles ; the drug is also smoked in a pipe. Morphine is givtn internally, and is also used largely for subcutaneous injection.