OF MADRAS.
carried on on a very large scale in many parts of Central and Northern
India.
Parts Used.—The inspissated juice or opium (No. 39), capsules
(No. 40), seeds (Nos. 41 and 42) and oil (No. 43).
Synonyms.—Of the inspissated juice—Opium, Eng. Afyún, Hind.,
Pers. and Arab. Afím, Duk Abini, Tam. Abini, Tel. Kasha-
kasha-karuppa, Malyal.
Aphímu Can. Aphím , Beng., Sans., Mah.
and Guz. Abin, Cing. Bhain, Bur. Of the capsules—Poppy-heads
or poppy-capsules, Eng. Capsules or Tetes du Pavot, Fr.
M o h u c a p - s c l n ,
G e r .
P ó s t o r K h a s h k h a s h - k á - p ó s t ,H
i n d .
K h a s h k h a s h - k e - b ó n d é ,
D u k .
G a s h a g a s h a - t ó l o r P ó s t k a - t ó 1 ,T
a m .
Gasagasála-tólu,
Tel. Kashkashat-tól,Malyal. Khaskhas-nu-póst, Guz.
Qishrul-khashkhásh, Arab. Pósté-kóknár, Pers. Of the common or white
seeds (No. 41.)—White poppy seeds, Eng. .Khashkhásh, Hind. and
Pers. Khashkhash, Duk. Gashagasha, Tam. Gasagasálu, Tel. Kasha-
kashak-kuru, Malyal. Khasakhasi, Can. Khaskhas, Beng. Póstubéjam,
Sans. Khasakhasa, Mah. Khaskhas, Guz. Bhain-zi, Burm.
Bizrulkhaskhásh, Arab. Tukhme-kóknár, Pers. Of the black seeds
(No. 42.)—Black poppy seeds, Eng. Káli-khashkhash, Duk.
Kálí-khashkhásh, Hind. Karuppu-gashagasha, Tam. N a l l a - g a s a g a s á l u ,
T e l .
Of the oil (No. 43.)—Poppy oil, Eng. Khashkhásh-ká-tél, Hind.
Khashkhash-ká-tél, Duk. Gashagasha-enney,
Tam. Gasagasála-
núne, Tel.
Local Sources.--The white poppy seeds, capsules and opium are met
with in every bazaar of India; the oil of the seeds is not generally kept
ready for sale, on account of its getting rancid by keeping; and the
black poppy seeds are so rare that I never saw them in the bazaar of
Madras. The sample in my collection is from Hyderabad.
P r i c e . — O f o p i u m ( t h e b e s t t h a t c o u l d b e p r o c u r e d i n M a d r a s ) — W h o l e s a l e , R s . 1 3 p e r p o u n d ; r e t a i l o r b a z a a r , R s . 1 ¼ p e r p o l l u m . O f
the capsules—Wholesale, Rs. 6 per maund; retail or bazaar, As. 6 per
pound. Of the common or white seeds—Wholesale, Rs. 2 per maund;
retail or bazaar, As. 1¼ per pound. The poppy oil is much cheaper
than the almond oil.
Physiological Actions, Therapeutic Uses, Preparations and Doses.—
With the exception of two points the information on opium and its
chief alkaloids
, and on the poppy capsules, in the Pharmacopœia of India
(pp. 13 to 22) and in Pharmacographia Indica (pp. 73-108), is so complete
that I am unable to add anything to it from my own experience and
knowledge, and therefore refer the reader to these works. I shall only
speak here of the exceptional points, the first and most important of
which is the use of morphia in the form of hypodermic injection. The
introduction of morphia into the system subcutaneously, and the great
and immediate relief derived from this drug when employed in this
manner, are now established facts, and there are no longer two opinions
on the subject. It is so frequently resorted to by our profession at
present that there is scarcely any educated medical man who does not
use the hypodermic injection in his practice. The diseases which are
benefited by it are numerous, but I shall confine my notice to only
those which I have cured or relieved myself by this method. It is
extremely useful in relieving the pain in all forms of neuralgia, and