(seq. 277)

268

Materia Medica

Stimulants

venom from affecting the system, for (says he) this poison
has a power of inducing the inflammation which the Vol.
Alk. will have a tendency to increase, therefore this would be
injurious although it would be so highly recommended by
many authors, yet I am of the opinion of Fontana, the manner
in which this is generally given is in bolus, it is here the effects
are more durable, but my favorite formula is the following

Rx
Gum Ammoniac & Vol Alkali Ʒi [1 dram]
Gum Arabic Ʒij [2 drams]
Sach Abba Ʒij [2 drams]
Aq. Font ℥iij [3 ounces].

M. rub the ammoniac down with the
ammonia and add the sugar and water.

Opium. This
is one of the most powerfull stimulants of the vegitable kingdom,
and one of the most usefull articles in the Materia Medica it is
the product of the papaver Samniferum. It is cultivated in fields
for commerce and is generally imported from Egypt, Smyrna &c,
its colour is Brownish but it frequently adulterated adventitious
being derived from the instrument used for incising the head
of the popies from which the opium is obtained and from the
vessels in which it is put up, when powdered it is yellow, and
has a smell something like chocolate. Mr has lately written
a treatise in which he has shown that the best method of