An Essay on the Effects of Opium. Considered as a Poison

I Was induced to write this Essay, from a Desire of throwing a Light upon a Subject, hitherto but triflingly, and, at best, obscurely treated. As I had no beaten Path to direct me, many perhaps are the Errors that may be traced through every Page.

I do not boast an Ability to enforce my Sentiments with that energic and expressive Beauty of Style some are so happy to possess. I am no Author, and can therefore only rely on your Candour, in Behalf of a simple Recital of such Facts as I have experienced.

When I consider the Novelty of the Subject, and the Rareness of Patients poisoned with Opium, I am inclined to flatter myself, you will not discourage, but be rather inclined to cherish under your Wings, every Effort (however weak) that tends to elucidate so extensive a Branch of Science, as Physic. I beg the Honour of subscribing myself,

St. Margaret's Church-Yard, Westminster, January 5, 1762.

Among People who are unacquainted with the Nature of Opium, it is a received Opinion, – That as it will, when taken in proper Doses, lull Pain, and procure Rest; so, in large Quantities, that it will terminate a Life of Cares, by an easy and quiet Death; but it is not so: this argument is directly contrary to the Nature of our Existence, the animal Oeconomy being so formed, as not to bear a total Solution, without some Agonies. Thus, when this Drug is received into the Stomach, in Quality of a Poison, easy Rest is denied, the Senses, roused by their threatened Solution, force the animal Powers into immediate Conflict with the noxious Body, which produces Convulsions, and other dreadful Symptoms, the Forerunners of Death. – The Drug is besides of so strong a Nature, that, though taken only into the Stomach, it can change the Colour of the Skin, and even of the Linen wore next it; a Body also, many Hours after Death, will smell so strongly of it, as to determine whether it was the Instrument of Destruction used.

I might have encreased the Bulk of this Essay, by expatiating on the Effects of Opium upon the arterial Fluid; I could inform you, that the Power of it is diffused by the Stimulus of the recurrent Nerves, to their Origin in the Cerebellum, whence, by Consent of Parts, the whole System partakes of the Affect, and the contaminated Fluid is propelled by them, through the Heart into the Arteries, and communicated to the most distant Parts of the Body; also that the Skin is formed by very minute Fibres of the Nerves, interwoven with arterial Fibres and Veins, forming numerous Compages of secerning Vessels, &c. &c. but these are Subjects best suiting the medicinal Powers of Opium, which being derogatory from my Design, are purposely avoided, and, but that these Pages are for the Perusal of more than the Circle of Physical Gentlemen, the Cases alone would have been inserted, without even giving the natural History of the Drug; for this same Reason, the Prescriptions are set down in English, and the whole Essay disrobed of technical Expressions, as far as the Subject will allow.

It will be thought, perhaps, that I have made too free with Dr. Jones, who is the only English Author that has wrote professedly on this Subject; but many of his Sentiments being directly opposite to mine, I was under a Necessity of bringing them into an immediate Point of View. It is therefore hoped, no Person will be so unfriendly, as to impute to me a Malevolence of Disposition, which is a Character I would always diligently avoid.

Opium is a Drug brought to us from the Eastern Countries (the Use of it was first known to the Greeks who gave it the Name of Ὀπὸς, Succus, which was collected from the Papaver Hortense, Semine Albo of Caspar Bauhine) where the Plant, from which it is produced, grows in great Plenty, both wild and cultivated, and is the same with that of the white Poppy in England, the Heads of which are very large, and possess a sleeping Power, many Degrees beyond any other Part of it; the Seeds contained in these Heads are very numerous, and partake of this Quality in so small a Proportion, as to be scarce discernible, and rather help, from the soft Oil they contain, to correct the bad Effects of the acrid Juice of the Mother-Plant; they are therefore separated from the Heads, and used in Emulsions, being esteemed both cooling and emollient.

Distinctions were formerly made of the Goodness of this Drug, according to the Places where it was gathered; that of Thebes being the most famous; but, as it is now, and has been for some Time past, an Article of general Traffic, not only in the Places where it grows, but throughout all Europe, those Distinctions of Country, are necessarily laid aside, and the only Difference now consists in its Purity, or Adulteration by the original Manufacturers or Venders.

It is a natural Supposition, and indeed the Turkish Histories sufficiently demonstrate, that the original Use of Opium, or Extract from the Poppy, was first introduced to dissipate Anxieties, Pains, and Perturbations of the Mind, which appears not unlike the Use of intoxicating Drinks, so much requested in