Opium

Questions

What is Opium?

It is the juice of the Papaver soinniferian , and we make our preparations from the unripe capsules of the black Smyrna Opium.

What are the Alkaloids of Opium ?

There are upwards of thirty alkaloids, among the most important are Morphine, Codeine, Apomorphi7ie, Narceine, Thebaine and Meconiyie.

What are some of the symptoms produced by Morphine?

Nausea and pruritus. Extreme susceptibility to pain, so as to cause convulsions or twitchings and jerkings of the limbs. It produces tympanites, which might be mistaken for peritonitis.

What is our principal use of Codeine ?

For the teasing night coughs of consumptives and for twitching of the eyelids.

What are the Homoeopathic indications for Apomorphia ?

Vomiting of reflex or cerebral origin, in sea-sickness, and in the vomiting of pregnancy.

What is the remedy to antidote the ill-effects of preparations of Opium and soothing syrups, cough mixtures, etc., which contain the drug ?

Nux vomica.

Why is it irrational and homoeopathic to give Opium for the relief of pain?

Because it does not remove the disease, but the ability to feel — the consciousness of suffering — and thereby masks the affection, making the cure more difficult.

What in brief are the general effects of Opium ?

It acts upon the cerebro-spinal and sj-apathetic nervous system, producing brief excitation, rapidly followed by depression and paralysis; hence symptoms of torpor and depression characterize this drug. Drowsy stupor, stertorous breathing, loss of consciousness, apoplectic states always remind of Opinvi.

What is the treatment for cases of poisoning by Opium?

Emetics, black coffee, electricity, friction, etc.; the object being to keep the patient alive until the poison is eliminated.* What are the indications for Opium in Apoplexy?

Rattling, stertorous breathing, and a very dark red face, and sometimes a tetanic rigidity of the body and paralysis; the darker red the face the more it is indicated. The: Pi'iiiiaug auatc of Potas/i has recent!}- been experimented on as an antidote to Opium and its salts, and appears to be of great value. Further experimentation will be required, however, to determine its actual worth.

When should we give Opium in Typhoid fever?

When there is profound congestion resulting from cerebral paral3^sis, loud, stertorous breathing, dropping of the lower jaw, hot sweat — a bad omen — and high fever; sleepiness, with acute hearing, clocks striking and cocks crowing at a great distance keep patient awake. "What is the Constipation of Opium?

From complete inactivity of the bowels, absolutely no desire or urging to stool, the bowels become impacted with faeces. The stool consists of little hard, dry, black balls.

How does it differ here from Plumbum?

Plumbum has a stool of hard, black balls, but there is a constriction of the rectum, showing some intestinal activity. "What is the cough of Opium?

It has a dry, tickling cough, which is especially worse at night and is relieved by a drink of water.