ACTION. Externally and internally irritant; dilates the intestinal vessels, thereby causing improved nutrition and absorption. USES. Diarrhoea; especially recommended for children suffering from marasmus and intestinal troubles. OPIUM. The concrete, milky exudation obtained by incising the unripe capsules of Papaver somniferum Linné (Fam. Papaveracea), and yielding, in its normal, moist condition, not less than 9 per cent. of Crystallized Morphine, when assayed. Synonym.-Poppy. Habitat.Western Asia; cultivated. CHARACTERS.-In irregular, flattened, more or less rounded masses of variable size, externally grayish-brown, covered with remnants of poppy leaves and with occasional fruits of a species of Rumex; more or less plastic when fresh, but becoming hard on keeping; internally dark brown, somewhat lustrous; odor strong, narcotic; taste bitter and characteristic. VARIETIES.-The above is the official opium; but the following are met with in commerce, and may be used to prepare the alkaloids: (a) Constantinople Opium, small lenticular masses, 120 to 240 gm. (1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tb.) in weight, and enclosed in a poppy leaf, but without the Rumex seeds. Sometimes the terms Turkey and Levant Opium include this. (b) Egyptian Opium. Flat, more or less circular cakes, 5 to 7.5 cm. (two or three in.) in diameter, reddish hue internally, covered with a leaf externally. Persian, Indian, English, French and German opiums are rarely met with in this country. COMPOSITION.—(1) Alkaloids.-At least nineteen in number. Most are combined with Meconic Acid, some with Sulphuric Acid, and some are free. Some Morphine Salts, and Codeine are official. These two alkaloids and Narceine and Thebaine are important. The following are the alkaloids existing in Opium: Morphine (2.5 to 22.8 per cent.). Hydrocotarnine Codeine (0.2 to 0.7 per cent.). Pseudomorphine (0.2 per cent.). Laudanine Laudanosine Meconidine in minute quantity. Codamine Gnoscopine Narcotine is more properly called Anarcotine. Apomorphine is an artificial alkaloid. (2) Neutral bodies.-Two in number: (5) Mucilage, resin, pectin, glucose, fats, essential oil, caoutchouc, odorous substances, and ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts. The following analysis shows how specimens vary: 66 Patna Opium 3.98 per cent. of Morphine, 6.36 per cent. of Anarcotine. balls. INCOMPATIBLES.-Ferric chloride gives a deep red color (due to Meconic Acid). Zinc, copper and arsenic salts, silver nitrate, lead acetate and subacetate, give precipitates of meconates, sulphates and coloring matters. All tannin-containing preparations precipitate codeine tannate. Fixed alkalies, their carbonates and ammonia precipitate morphine and anarcotine. The small amount of glucose in opium may cause it to explode when made into a pill with silver nitrate. Dose, 0.100 gm. (100 milligm.); 12 gr. OPII PULVIS.-Powdered Opium. Opium dried at a temperature not exceeding 85° C. (185° F.), and reduced to a very fine powder. Powdered Opium, for pharmaceutical or medicinal purposes, when assayed, should yield not less than 12 nor more than 12.5 per cent. of Crystallized Morphine. Powdered Opium of a higher percentage may be brought within these limits by admixture with Powdered Opium of a lower percentage, or powdered Sugar of Milk, in proper proportions. Dose, 0.065 gm. (65 milligm.); 1 gr. Preparations. 1. Extractum Opii.-Extract of Opium. Powdered Opium, 100; Water, Sugar of Milk, each, a sufficient quantity; by trituration, filtration and evaporation. Dose, 0.030 gm. (30 milligm.); 1⁄2 gr. 2. Emplastrum Opii.—Opium Plaster. Extract of Opium, 6; Water, 8; Adhesive Plaster, 90. 3. Trochisci Glycyrrhizæ et Opii.-Troches of Glycyrrhiza and Opium. Extract of Glycyrrhiza, 15; Powdered Opium, 0.5; Acacia, 12; Sugar, 20 gm.; Oil of Anise, 0.2 c.c. To make 100 troches. Each troche contains about .005 gm.; 11⁄2 gr., of Opium. 4. Pilulæ Opii.-Pills of Opium. Powdered Opium, 6.5; Soap, 2 gm. To make 100 pills. Each pill contains .06 gm.; 1 of Opium. gr., Dose, 1 pill. 5. Pulvis Ipecacuanhæ et Opii.-Powder of Ipecac and Opium. Synonym.-Dover's Powder. Powdered Opium, 10; Ipecac, 10; Sugar of Milk, 80. Dose 0.500 gm. (500 milligm.); 71⁄2 gr. 6. Acetum Opii.-Vinegar of Opium. Synonym.-Black Drop. Powdered Opium, 100; Nutmeg, 30; Sugar, 200; Diluted Acetic Acid to 1000; by maceration and percolation. Dose, 0.5 c.c.; 8 m. 7. Tinctura Opii Camphorata.-Camphorated Tincture of Opium. Paregoric. Powdered Opium, 4; Benzoic Acid, 4; Camphor, 4; Oil of Anise, 4; Glycerin, 40; Diluted Alcohol, 950; by maceration and filtration. Dose, 8 c.c.; 2 fl. dr. 8. Opium Deodoratum.-Deodorized Opium. Synonyms.— Opium Denarcotisatum, Denarcotized Opium. Powdered Opium, 500; Purified Petroleum Benzin, a sufficient quantity. By maceration, decantation, filtration and drying. Opium Deodoratum should be kept in well-stoppered bottles, and, when assayed, should be found to yield not less than 12 per cent. nor more than 12.5 per cent. of Crystallized Morphine. Opium in coarser powder may be deodorized in the same manner. OPIUM GRANULATUM.-Granulated Opium. Opium dried at a temperature not exceeding 85° C. (185° F.) and reduced to a coarse (No. 20) powder. When assayed it should yield not less than 12 per cent., nor more than 12.5 per cent. of Crystallized Morphine. Granulated Opium of a higher percentage may be brought within these limits by admixture with Granulated Opium of a lower percentage in proper proportions. Dose, 0.100 gm. (100 milligm.); 11⁄2 gr. Preparations. 1. Tinctura Opii.-Tincture of Opium. Laudanum. Granulated Opium (containing 12 to 12.5 per cent. of Crystallized Morphine), 100; Alcohol, Water, Diluted Alcohol, each, a sufficient quantity; to make 1000. By maceration and percolation. Tincture of Opium, when assayed, should contain in 100 c.c. not less than 1.2 nor more than 1.25 gm. of Crystallized Morphine. Dose, 0.5 c.c.; 8 m. 2. Tinctura Opii Deodorati.-Tincture of Deodorized Opium. Granulated Opium (containing 12 to 12.5 per cent. of Crystallized Morphine), 100; Purified Petroleum Benzin, 75; Alcohol, 200; Water to 1000. By percolation, evaporation and filtration. Dose, 0.5 c.c.; 8 m. 3. Tinctura Ipecacuanhæ et Opii.-Tincture of Ipecac and Opium. Tincture of Deodorized Opium, 1000; Fluidextract of Ipecac, 100; Diluted Alcohol, a sufficient quantity; to make 1000. By evaporation and filtration. Dose, 0.5 c.c.; 8 m. 4. Vinum Opii.-Wine of Opium. Synonym.-Sydenham's Laudanum. Granulated Opium, 100; Saigon Cinnamon, 10; Cloves, 10; Alcohol, White Wine, each, a sufficient quantity; to make 1000. By maceration and filtration. Dose, 0.5 c.c.; 8 m. It will be noticed that from Extract of Opium there is prepared Emplastrum Opii, and from the Deodorized Tincture, Tinctura Ipecacuanhæ et Opii. The following non-official preparations are sometimes used: Nepenthe, of the same strength as Laudanum, Liquor Opii Sedativus (Battley's solution), which is about 50 per cent. stronger than Laudanum, Acetum Opii Crocatum (black drop), four times as strong as Laudanum, and Tinctura Opii Ammoniata, B. P. (Scotch Paregoric), about two and one-half times as strong as the Camphorated Tincture. The following list, in which the doses are arranged, may assist the student: Pilulæ Ipecacuanhæ cum Scilla (B. P.).-Pill of Ipecacuanha with Squill. Powder of Ipecac and Opium, 30; Squill, 10; Ammoniacum, 10; Syrup of Glucose, g. s. This pill contains about 5 per cent. of Opium. Dose, .30 to .60 gm.; 5 to 10 gr. Tinctura Chloroformi et Morphinæ Composita (B. P.).— Compound Tincture of Chloroform and Morphine. Mix Chloroform, 75 c.c.; Morphine Hydrochloride, 10 gm.; Diluted Hydrocyanic Acid, 50 c.c.; Tincture of Capsicum, 25 c.c.; Tincture of Indian Hemp, 100 c.c.; Oil of Peppermint, 1.5 c.c.; Glycerin, 250 c.c.; Alcohol (90 per cent.), 450 c.c. Dissolve Morphine Hydrochloride, 10 gm., in the mixture; add to it Diluted Hydrocyanic Acid, 50 c.c., and enough Alcohol (90 per cent.) to make 1000 C.C. Dose, .30 to .60 c.c.; 5 to 10 m. |