One grain of dry opium is contained in fourteen minims and a half of the tincture. [Opium, dried in powder, two troy ounces and a half; water, alcohol, each a pint; diluted alcohol, a sufficient quantity. Two pints of tincture are made by maceration and percolation. A grain of dry opium is contained in 12.8 minims of the tincture. U. S.]

Tinctura Camphorae cum Opio. Camphorated Tincture of Opium. [Tincturae Opii Camphorata. U. S. The formula is slightly different, but the strength is the same as in the Br. Ph.] (Opium, in coarse powder, forty grains; benzoic acid, forty grains; camphor, thirty grains; oil of anise, half a fluid drachm; proof spirit, one pint. Prepared by maceration.)

One grain of opium is contained in half a fluid ounce of this tincture. This preparation is often termed Paregoric Elixir, was called Tinctura Camphorae Composita, Lond. Phar. 1851.

Trochisci Opii. Opium Lozenges. (Extract of opium, seventy-two grains; tincture of tolu, half a fluid ounce; refined sugar, sixteen ounces; gum arabic, in powder, two ounces; extract of liquorice, sixteen ounces; boiling distilled water, a sufficiency. To make seven hundred and twenty lozenges.)

Each lozenge contains one-tenth of a grain of extract of opium.

[Trochisci Glycyrrhizae et Opii. Troches of Liquorice and Opium. Opium, in fine powder, half a troy ounce; liquorice, gum arabic, sugar, all in fine powder, each ten troy ounces; oil of anise, a fluid drachm. Made into a mass, with, the addition of water, and divided into troches, each weighing six grains. U. S. Each lozenge contains about one-twelfth of a grain of opium.]

Unguentum Gallae cum Opio. Ointment of Galls and Opium. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Ointment of galls, one ounce; opium, in powder, thirty-two grains.)

One part of opium is contained in fourteen parts and a half of the ointment.

Vinum Opii. Wine of Opium. (Opium, in powder, one ounce and a half; sherry, one pint. Prepared by maceration.)

One grain of dry opium is contained in fourteen minims and a half of the wine.

[Opium, in powder, two troy ounces; cinnamon and cloves, each in powder, sixty grains. The powders are macerated with fifteen fluid ounces of sherry for fifteen days: the whole is then transferred to a percolator, and after the liquid is drained off, sherry wine is poured on until a pint of percolate is obtained. One grain of opium is contained in eight minims of the wine.]

Of Hydrochlorate of Morphia: -

Liquor Morphle Hydrochloratis. Solution of Hydrochlorate of Morphia. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] Hydrochlorate of morphia, four grains; dilute hydrochloric acid, eight minims; rectified spirit, two fluid drachms; distilled water, six fluid drachms.)

Half a grain of hydrochlorate of morphia is contained in each fluid drachm of this solution. It is half the strength of Liquor Morphias Hydrochloratis, London, 1851.

Suppositoria Morphiae. Morphia Suppositories. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] Hydrochlorate of morphia, three grains; refined sugar, thirty grains; prepared lard and wax, of each a sufficiency, divided into twelve cones, covered with wax and lard.) Each suppository contains a quarter of a grain of the morphia salt.

Trochisci Morphiae. Morphia Lozenges. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Hydrochlorate of morphia, twenty grains; tincture of tolu, half a fluid ounce; refined sugar, in powder, twenty-four ounces; gum arabic in powder, one ounce; mucilage of gum arabic, two fluid ounces, or a sufficiency; boiling distilled water, half a fluid ounce. Divide into 720 lozenges.) Each lozenge contains one thirty-sixth of a grain of hydrochlorate of morphia.

Trochisci Morphiae et Ipecacuanhae. Morphia and Ipecacuan Lozenges. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Hydrochlorate of morphia, twenty grains; ipecacuan, in fine powder, sixty grains; and the same ingredients in the same quantities, as for the morphia lozenges.)

Each lozenge contains one thirty-sixth of a grain of hydrochlorate of morphia, and one-twelfth of a grain of ipecacuan.

Hydrochlorate of Morphia is prepared by thoroughly exhausting opium with water, and evaporating to a small bulk, so that one pint of fluid shall contain the soluble matter of one pound of opium. To this is added a strong solution of chloride of calcium, and the liquid evaporated till, on cooling, it forms a solid mass; which is then enveloped in two folds of calico, and subjected to a powerful pressure. The cake is then triturated with about half a pint of boiling water, the whole thrown on a filter and washed. The filtered liquor is again evaporated, and allowed to cool and solidify, pressed, dissolved as before, evaporated and again allowed to solidify; if the mass is still much coloured, this process may be again repeated. The pressed cake is finally dissolved in six ounces of boiling water with animal charcoal, for twenty minutes, and, filtered ammonia added in slight excess, and the pure crystalline morphia which separates collected and dried. This is dissolved in hydrochloric acid, and the hydrochlorate of morphia allowed to crystallize. An additional quantity of morphia may be obtained from the dark liquids expressed, by diluting them with water, precipitating with potash in excess, filtering, saturating with hydrochloric acid, and purifying with animal charcoal.

Therapeutics. Opium when taken internally, in small doses, produces, at first, some excitement of the vascular and nervous systems, shown by increased fulness and rapidity of the pulse, exaltation of the mental functions, and very pleasant sensations; these, after a time, are followed by a feeling of drowsiness, and at last by a sound sleep, often accompanied with perspiration; on awakening, the individual usually feels some nausea and headache, the tongue is furred, there is loss of appetite, thirst, and a torpid state of the bowels. If pain or spasm be present, these become relieved, at the same time the influence of the drug in producing sleep is much diminished. The stimulant effect of opium does not last long, usually not more than half an hour, and when the dose is large, and the patient unaccustomed to the drug, it is often scarcely noticed, the soporific influence being very speedily produced; certain conditions of the system and the previous long-continued use of the medicine hinder or prevent the soporific effect, but favour the development of the symptoms of excitement; when large doses are taken the sleepiness becomes intense, and there is great difficulty in awakening the patient; in still larger doses poisonous effects ensue, the sleep passing into 13 a condition of stupor or coma, with gradually increasing slowness of respiration, feebleness of pulse, cold perspiration, and contracted pupils, followed by death.