Opium

Where is the pathogenesis of Opium found ?

In Hahnemann's Materia Medica Pura . See also British Journal of Homoeopathy , Vol. XXII. Allen .

What is Opium ?

It is juice of the Papaver somniferum , and we make our preparations from the gum of the black Smyrna Opium .

What other varieties of Opium are found in commerce ?

The Egyptian Opium with 7 to 15% of Morphine . The Greek Opium with 10% Morphine , and the Italian Opium with from 6 to 8% Morphine . The Smyrna Opium , like the Egyptian, contains from 7 to 15% of Morphine .

Describe our method of making a mother tincture of Opium.

The gum Opium dried and powdered is covered with five parts, by weight, of dilute alcohol, and stool eight days in a well stoppered bottle in a dark, cool place, being shaken twice a day. Decant, strain and filter. Drug power, 1/10.

What are the alkaloids op Opium ?

There are upwards of thirty alkaloids, among the most important are Morphine, Codeine, Apomorphine, Narceine, Narcotin, Thebaine and Meconine .

What is the allopathic dose of crude Opium ?

One grain.

What is laudanum ?

An allopathic tincture of Opium ; usual dose, 25 drops.

What is paregoric, and what is its dose ?

It is the camphorated tincture of Opium and contains Benzoic acid, Aniseed, Honey , etc., being in reality an elixir ; its dose is up to ½ oz. ; less in children.

What is the allopathic dose of Morphine and the sulphate of Morphine ?

Morphine , one-fifth grain ; Morphine sulphate , one-fourth grain.

What is Magendie's solution ?

It is a solution of the Sulphate of Morphine 16 grains to the ounce ; 5 drops equals one-sixth of a grain of Morphine sulphate .

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 eyelids.

What is the allopathic dose of Codeine ?

One-half to two grains.

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 .

What is it irrational and unhomoeopathic 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 he affection, making the cure more difficult.

What in brief are the general effects of Opium ?

It acts upon the cerebro-spinal and sympathetic nervous systems, 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 Opium .

What is the treatment for cases of poisoning by Opium ?

Emetics, black coffee, Faradic current, friction, use of stomach pump, artificial respiration, oxygen inhalations, the object being to keep the patient alive until the poison is eliminated. [The Permanganate of Potash has been experimented with as an antidote to Opium and its salts, and it has proven to be of great value. Further experimentation will be required, however, to determine its actual worth.]

What are the indications for Opium in apoplexy ?

Rattling, stertorous breathing, a very dark red face ; sometimes a tetanic rigidity of the body and paralysis ; the darker red the face the more it is indicated.

When should we give Opium in typhoid fever ?

When there is profound congestion resulting from cerebral paralysis, loud, stertorous breathing, dropping of the lower jaw, hot sweat - a bad omen - high fever ; sleeplessness, with acute hearing, clocks striking and cocks crowing at a great distance keep patient awake.

What characterizes the constipation of Opium ?

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.