1312

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

10. Tinctura Opii, L. E. D. Laudanum. (Hard Opium, P oVf ^.--

*iij.; Proof* Spirit, Oij. Macerate for fourteen days, and s\*wiib a0(1The proportions used by the Dublin College are 3x. of ^P’^npiu® 1Oj. [wine measure] of spirit. The Edinburgh College directs piges 1sliced, *iij.; Rectified Spirit , Oj. and f'^vij.; Water, fjxiijss- u ^;the opium in the water at a temperature near 212° for two . j,;

break down the opium with the hand; strain and express the 111 aI) d

macerate the residuum in the rectified spirit for about twenty h°u .^ u0ll sthen strain and express very strongly. Mix the watery and spi* 1 g! jinfusions, and filter.—This tincture is not easily obtained by the

of percolation; but when the opium is of fine quality, it maypared thus :—Slice the opium finely; mix the spirit and water; p;,

opium macerate in fourteen fluidounces of the mixture for tweb c u jjWand then break it down thoroughly with the hand; pour the whom 1 ^mass and fluid into a percolator, and let the fluid part pass throu» ’ an Jthe rest of the spirit without packing the opium in the cyhmcontinue the process of percolation till two pints are obtained, E-)percolation process of the Edinburgh College is unnecessary all j all ui 11blesome, and will, I suspect, be rarely, if ever, adopted by , la with‘ liepreparers. Tincture of opium is of a deep brownish-red coloui, '1,peculiar odour and taste of opium. Its sp. gr., according to Mr- a p 0 nt(Transl. of the Pharm.), is O'952. Nineteen minims of it contain^ a sone grain of opium. Proof spirit dissolves the same constitu .water does (see p. 1311), but it takes up a larger proportion °f n . ar 0 iul>l aresin, and oil. I have repeatedly prepared morphia from theresidue left behind in the preparation of the tincture. Tincture o . g tois a powerful and valuable anodyne and soporific. Its employme . ;<be preferred to that of solid opium where a more immediate pirequired. Moreover, in administering opiates to children, the m -[, 111 -adjusting small doses of it presents a great advantage over solidThe dose of it, like that of solid opium, must vary according jp , , ell itcircumstances. For an adult it varies from ittx. to f3j■ To cal .must be given with the greatest caution. I have seen a power!produced in a very young infant by one drop. . (flf

11. Enema Opii, L. D. Enema Opii vel Anodynum, E. s bf

ter. —(Decoction of Starch, f|iv.; Tincture of Opium, nixxx- n

The Dublin College employs 3vi. of water instead of the Stare ^ o‘lage, and 5j. of Tincture of Opium.—The Edinburgh College uses 0 qj,eStarch; f3ss. to fsj. of Tincture of Opium; and fgij. ofstarch is boiled in the water, and the tincture added when the nis cool enough for use.)—The formula of the London College lS ’ ^ u t i [opinion, to Vie preferred to those of the other British college*may be sometimes necessary to double or treble the quantity °. t ; 0 u 0<employed. In the passage of renal calculi, in nephritis, ul ? eJ1 tc>'. v ’inflammation of the bladder, uterus, or prostate gland, inand painful affections of the large intestine, the opium clyst® 1 '

■d,

valuable.

12. LtnutenttjmOpium, foij. Mix.)pains, sprains, &c.

c o*

Opii, L. E. — (Soap Liniment, fs v .j-j r -^ r ^ lU -al^ CEmployed as an anodyne in rheumatism, 1

* The London Pharmacopoeia erroneously directs rectified spin 1