{ndi;

THE WHITE POPPY.

1301

'HU, an I

'ix* 011 Hemn ^[ ,ces a cataleptic state (see Dr. O’Shaughnessy, On the Prep, of the• r effect • c * Vinous liquids cause their well-known peculiar inebriation.

>n, ; sn iall doses agree, to a certain extent, with those of small doses of

• a( ;_ ,7 ar e not equally available as antisnasmodics. The peculiarities of

°Perati on 0 f c

Uses.-

equally available as antispasmodics. The peculiarities ofcoma have been pointed out (p. 1063-41.

^oes.._.O • .

reitl edv'ofT 1Um 1S undoubtedly the most important and valuable°he 0r Uie whole Materia Medica. We have, for other medicines,

. ore substitutes ; but for opium we have none,—at least in thefe( l l Ured cases in which its peculiar and beneficial influence is

^'i'cirie ltS -" O0< ^ effects are not, as is the case with some valuabler^'ious . S ’ re ™°te and contingent, but they are immediate, direct, and*' Urt Wrtn aiU ^ .U? operation is not attended with pain or discomfort.°f hialacl -0re ’ ^ * s applied, and with the greatest success, to the relieftfitli the 1CS ever y day’s occurrence, some of which are attended1)01 Oec m ° St acu te human suffering. These circumstances, with othershot po s SSar y here to enumerate, conspire to give to opium an interestW e e ^ SS f^ hy any other article of the Materia Medica.

Steady .y it to fulfil various indications; some of which have been&te pai n ° tlCe( *‘ Thus we exhibit it, under certain regulations, to initi-os, to n ’ l ° alla y s pasm, to promote sleep, to relieve nervous restless-^m t j le P r °^ uc e perspiration, and to check profuse mucous discharges• s prov l . ronc hial tubes and gastro-intestinal canal. But experiencelri< lieatio 1 *' S v alue in relieving some diseases in which not one of these1 • f a p? Can he at all times distinctly traced.u Uts Pe ( ‘y Crs '—The consideration of the use of opium in fever pre-, co lu . Ullar difficulties. Though certain symptoms which occur inV Uslv ? e . °* ihis disease, are, under some circumstances, most advan-P r e Seiu * seated by opium, yet, with one or more of these symptomsjhe ])p 0 °i num m ay, notwithstanding, be a very inappropriate remedy,y ^min^i 1 ^ 0r impropriety of its use, in such cases, must beH-olt t 1 ot h er circumstances, which, however, are exceedinglyCa °. define and characterise. It should always be employed withV Sv lon » giving it in small doses, and carefully watching its effects.

res}/ ° niS * 01 it lias been resorted to are, watchfulness ,

great €ssness ’ delirium, tremor, and diarrhoea. When watchfulness.fder 0 £ restlessness are disproportionate, from first to last, to the dis-b CS ° sy }fl vascular system or of the constitution at large; or whenv e |-‘h Subdi < i mS cont i nue a h er excitement of the vascular system hasc . U; >hl e lec ^ appropriate depletives, opium frequently proves a highly0° Us e mpl C< y : 11 ay, the safety of the patient often arises from its judi-u f- 1> P a °yment. (S Pf > snrnfl i-ntnv/actiri<r nltcprrntinng Oil tills: ^llblPPt bv

fen,

u-oyment. (See some interesting observations on tins subject,

UW 41 - Latham, Land. Med. Gaz.x ol. x. pp. 11-12). dim. .an

hut als » apply to the employment of opium for the relief of dcli u ,v f s Pirh ay be added, that in patients who have been addicted toThe use^et i, u ° Us liquors, the efficacy of opium in allaying delirium is e •Siren *!r e seen opium fail to relieve the delirium of fever, evuu flle?hiuiri hParently under favourable circumstances; and I ia \e'Us teri es t°re the consciousness of a delirious patient, and ye ie'^(-Iv t'l’v^cd fatally. If the skin be damp and the tongue moist, it?hle ’ fhink, proves iniurious. The absence, however, of these ay u -’U elfi r 1 d 0I is by no means precludes the employment of opium, u1>. 4 27 lcac y is more doubtful. Dr. Holland {Med. Notes and Reflect.’ '»d ed. 18-10) suggests that the condition of the pupil may serve