(seq. 279)

270

Materia Medica

Stimulants

procuring opium is by incisions into head of poppies out of which
ooses [oozes] the juice, it then becomes inspissated, this is the
best method in my opinion, it is sometimes procured by
boiling and then inspissating the liquor, and also by
bruising the heads of the popies and pressing out the juice.
Opium frequently comes to us in an adulterated state, it is
generally adulterated with the common lettuice of our gardens.
Dr Cox of this City proves that this vegitable contains opium, large
poppy fields in this country I think would probably prove injurious,
because they would in my opinion would frequently be resorted
to for relief from sorrow and distress, the effects of opium when
applied to the living animal fibres externally, when applied to
the eye, Urethra, and other tender parts it first produces pain
and a sense of heat but afterwards the sensibility of heat is
diminished, its stimulating effects to the urethra should by
no means prohibit the use of it in affections of those parts, as
in Gonorrhea since it may be used without the smalest injury
to the patient. Whither opium when externally applied exerts any
decided effects on the system is a question where authors
disagree. Dr Crumps experiments proves that it does, while