Opium. Opium
Description
This section is from the book "Practical Materia Medica And Prescription Writing", by Oscar W. Bethea. Also available from Amazon: Practical Materia Medica and Prescription Writing.
Opium. Opium
Latin, Opium (Gen., Opii)
Eng., Opium. The air-dried, milky exudation obtained by incising the unripe capsules of Papaver somniferum and its variety album, and yielding in its normal, moist condition, not less than 9.5 per cent. of anhydrous morphine.
Principal Constituents
Morphine, Codeine, etc.
Incompatibles
Alkalies, alkaline carbonates, salts of arsenic, copper, iron, lead, silver and zinc; mercuric chloride, tannic acid, potassium permanganate, lime-water, etc.
Average Dose
1 grain (0.06 Gm.).
It will be noted that Powdered Opium and Granulated Opium contain about 10 per cent. of morphine, and that the Powder of Ipecac and Opium, the Tincture of Opium and the Tincture of Deodorized Opium represent 10 per cent. of these; so, contain about 1 per cent. of morphine.
1 Ashton: Practice of Gynecology.
The extract contains about 20 per cent. of morphine, differing from other extracts, which are usually about five times the strength of the drug.
Opium differs from most other important vegetable drugs in having no fluidextract.
Opii Pulvis
Eng., Powdered Opium. A dark-colored powder containing from 10 to 10.5 per cent. of morphine. Average Dose.-1 grain (0.06 Gm.).
Opium Deodoratum
Eng., Deodorized Opium. Synonym, Denar-cotized Opium. Contains from 10 to 10.5 per cent. of morphine. Average Dose.-1 grain (0.06 Gm.).
Opium Granulatum
Eng., Granulated Opium. Contains 10 to 10.5 per cent. of morphine.
Average Dose
1 grain (0.06 Gm.).
Extractum Opii
Eng., Extract of Opium. A dark-colored powder containing about 20 per cent. of morphine. Average Dose.-1/2 grain (0.03 Gm.).
Pulvis Ipecacuanhae Et Opii
Eng., Powder of Ipecac and Opium. Synonym, Dover's Powder. Powdered Opium, 10 Gm.; Ipecac, 10 Gm.; Sugar of Milk, 80 Gm. (Morphine about 1 per cent.)
Average Dose
8 grains (0.5 Gm.).
Tinctura Opii
Eng., Tincture of Opium, Laudanum. Represents 10 per cent. of Granulated Opium (about 1 per cent. of morphine). Average Dose.-8 minims (0.5 mil).
Tinctura Opii Camphorata
Eng., Camphorated Tincture of Opium, Paregoric. Powdered Opium, 4 Gm.; Benzoic Acid, 4 Gm.; Camphor, 4 Gm.; Oil of Anise, 4 mils; Glycerin, 40 mils; Diluted Alcohol, to make 1000 mils (about 0.04 per cent. of morphine).
Average Dose
1 fluidrachm (4 mils).
Tinctura Opii Deodorati
Eng., Tincture of Deodorized Opium. Represents 10 per cent. of Deodorized Opium (about 1 per cent. of morphine).
Average Dose
8 minims (0.5 mil).
Official Alkaloids and their Salts.
Morphina
Eng., Morphine. An alkaloid obtained from Opium. (Opium contains not less than 9.5 per cent. of Morphine.)
Form
White prisms, needles or crystalline powder.
Odor And Taste
Odorless. Bitter taste.
Solubility
In 3340 parts of water or 210 parts of alcohol.
Incompatibles (Also Of The Salts Of Morphine)
Alkalies, borates, chlorates, iodides, tannic acid, potassium permanganate, ferric chloride, gold and sodium chloride, lead acetate, lead subacetate, magnesia, mercuric chloride, spirit of nitrous ether, silver nitrate. Average Dose.-1/8 grain (0.008 Gm.).
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