(seq. 293)

284

Materia Medica

Stimulants

functions with respect to the effect of opium here, large quantities
of it impair the appetite, create langor, nausea, and sometimes
induce vomiting, the intestinal discharge is diminished but
the other I think are increased, though this is not an universal
opinion, the action of the absorbants being also increased the
secretions at first sight appear to be diminished, the use of opium
impairs the appetite upon this account, the inhabitants of India
during a dreadfull famine that affected them took large quantities
of opium in order to diminish the desire for food. A verry
injenious writer Dr G. has said that opium is nutritious, because
it is a possative stimulus, and really combines with oxygen but
this appears too true to be ridiculed. But I think few men of
sence will ever employ it for that purpose, opium impairs
digestion and induces vomiting, and this not only when large doses
are employ’d = these effects are however most common when the
doses are large, it also diminishes the intestinal evacuation, and
this is the most common inconvenience resulting from its use,
this however is not an universal effect for it sometimes purges.
Mr Steel informs us he gave opium in Colica Pictonum it purged.
I believe opium produces this effect when there is a great torpor