The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-03-30
Opium and Morphia.

OohhhSu W tnc OiiluatutU, ellHeT. DO
you know what opium is Well, it is a
juice obtained from the unripe cap
sules of the poppy, extensively cult.
waited in Asiatic Turkey, Egypt and
India China has of late years (de.
spite the heavy penalty for its use)
cultivated the plant to great extent,
but its quality is said to be greatly
inferior to the Indian and is chiefly
used for the purpose of adulteration.
This juice is evaporated and finally
makes its appearance here in the shape
of flat cakes, about five inches square,
covered with leaves. The manufact-
urer fully understands his business, as
stones, bullets, buckshot, pieces of
scrap iron frequently are snugly i'm
bedded in the centre of the opium
cake and when you consider that it is
purchased by weight, that it is worth
50, and often through monopolies Sl2,
per pound the sclap-iron assumes con.
siderable Importance.
WHERE LAUDANUM COMES FROM.
sit is from opium that laudanum
and its principal alkaloid, morphia, is
prepared. Its uses are indicated by
its name--to act as an opiate and the
general relief from pain from any
causes whatsoever. 1t is the favorite
poison for suicides, from the fact, per-
haps, that it is the easiest obtainable.
Where almost every respectable drug
gist would hesitate to sell prussic acid,
arsenic, strychnia or morphia to an
adult, nine out of ten will dispense
laudanum with free and easy way,
even to children, as though it was as
harmless as water. Many begin its
use, likely, because in small doses it
produces excitement and exhilaration
and general feeling of Il own the
whole world The desire to expert
ence these results finally leads to a
consumption frightful to consider, al
though its chief attraction has vanish
ed. | doubt that when liquor ceases
to be strong enough the topper resorts
to laudanum. 1t is only when that
dread sleeplessness seizes,on him, when
visionary reptiles fantastically wind
and dance about him, that he seeks to
Danish them and find natures restorer
in opium. Paragoric and the many
soothing and cough syrups have
for their bases morphia or opium
When the baby is fretful, has the
collie, is teething, keeps the family
awake it is dosed with paragoric OF
some other preparation. Thus the
desire is instilled very young. l know
of a boy and girl, aged respectively
twelve and six years, who began il
this way until finally the boy received
a tablespoon and the girl a teaspoonfu
of laudunum three times daily-why
l don't know, hut know whenever
the boy visited the store instead O
asking for licorice, picture card o.
other tritles used by energetic drug
gists to pander to the unsophisticateC
youthful mind, his boy invariably ask
ed for dose of laudunum' land hi
doses were no small ones) as brib,
for the retention of his mothers Gus
tom.
BOY AND HIS LAUDANUM.
Son one occasion during my tempo
rary absence from the prescription
counter he seized the opportunity t,
swallow two ounces, or four table
spoonfuls at a single draught. He re
fused and laughed at all emetics.
anxiously awaited the result, but n
alarming effects followed. The usua
dose for an adult is about 40 drops
for boy of II, Is drops-25 drop,
containing grain of opium, and fou
grains frequently proving fatal. /
tablespoon contains about 400 drop
so this boy actually drank 1000 drop
J or forty times the regular dose for a
adult, and sufficient to kill twenty-fv
, boys unaccustomed to its use II
sister, 6 years old, received 800 drol
daily, and her brother 1900 dali,
probably as negative food, for no be
can sleep and eat at the same tim
. Still its effects are not always so frigh
full as is generally imagined. | kno
= of an old woman aged 70 years wi
= takes about three ounces-six tabl
, spoonfuls-daily (2,4OO drops). 81
t has been Indulging for the past fort
3 five years and still pursues her voc
: tion, which is scrubbing from mornir
d till night, with DO apparent diminutit
!, of strength.
i THE USE OF MoRPHIA.
s "The sulphate of morphia is Il
e more genteel way of using it, prin,
d pally on account of being less nau
;. eous and more easily administered. Il
r hypodermic syringe being the favori
a way, as on account of direct conta
n with the circulation it acts more quic
ly. Society girls, craving tor rest, II
il morphia, and when once morphia
t. opium comes home to roost it gener
1t ly remains and it takes firm, stro
o will to Danish it. In experimenting
g. began with one-eighth of grain, t
y regular dose, and in six weeks to
er one grain enough to kill one unacc
n. tomed) with impunity. l am acquai
a. ed with a man who consumes tifte
s. grains of morphia daily (or enough
> kill fifteen men, equally distribu,
N and taken at single dose). O
ID eighth grain morphia equals thr
es quarter grain of opium; one gr
st equals six grains; six grains of OPT
n represent $50 drops of laudanum,
ed 1880 drops daily, or nearly 81,
u times the regular adult dose. Il
ht simply demonstrates to what deg
be its use can be cultivated. All quest
ly of exbilaration now ceases the II
ly under its use becomes a mere autol
ed ton; his brain is in a completely
er died state, incapaciting him from
'ts business-and, strange as it may SCI
physicians and women are opiu
principal votaries. Statistics do
show many deaths from excess
opium. Unlike liquor, it destroys
raj organic matter and no LESSONS
re- found after death, 1t operates p
it cipally upon the brain and merry
in system, which accounts for the feel
be of excitement it produces in model
ful doses. There is probably not dl
of gist in the city but that has his re
he lar opium and morphia customer
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