DERIVATION.--The concrete, milky exudate obtained by incising the unripe
capsules of Papaver somniferum Linne, and yielding in its normal, moist
condition, not less than nine per cent of crystallized morphine when
assayed by the official process. Opium is imported from Turkey, Asia
Minor, Persia, India and Egypt. The Smyrna, or Turkey opium, is the more
common variety used in the United States. It occurs in irregular,
globular masses, covered with poppy leaves and capsules of a species of
dock, weighing from one-half to one pound.
PROPERTIES.--In irregular, flattened, more or less rounded masses of
variable size, externally grayish-brown, covered with particles of poppy
leaves and with occasional fruits of a species of Rumex; more or less
plastic when fresh, but becoming hard on keeping; internally dark brown,
somewhat lustrous; odor strong, narcotic; taste bitter and
characteristic. It yields its medical properties to water, alcohol and
dilute acids, forming dark brown solutions. Ether extracts its
principles in part.
CONSTITUENTS.--There are about nineteen or twenty alkaloids derived from
opium, but only a few are of any importance so far as their medical
value is concerned.
DOSE.--Of the crude opium--Horses, 1 to 2 dr.; cattle, 2 to 4 dr.;
sheep, 10 to 30 gr.; pigs, 5 to 10 gr.; dogs, ¹⁄₂ to 2 gr.