Dr. Hood's plain talks about the human system - the habits of men and women - the causes and prevention of disease - our sexual relations and social natures - embracing common sense medical adviser... (14589718649)

Identifier: drhoodsplaintalk00hood (find matches)
Title: Dr. Hood's plain talks about the human system : the habits of men and women - the causes and prevention of disease - our sexual relations and social natures - embracing common sense medical adviser...
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Hood, G. Durant
Subjects:
Publisher: Chicago : Hood Medical Book Co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



Text Appearing Before Image:
ed in the process, butno complaints are madeof any ill effects resultingfrom contact with thedrug. The native opiumexaminers often sit forhours together in the midstof tons of opium, samplesof which they are con-stantly manipulating andsmelling, and yet they, asa rule, enjoy the most per-fect health. This immu-nity contrasts stronglywith the suffering ofworkers in lead and mer-cury, to which we havealready alluded. Thesefacts, however, are not tobe regarded as an indica-tion that opium used ex-ternally is under all cir-cumstances inert. Thuslaudanum applied to anulcerated or abrased sur-face will produce poisonous effects—not so quickly, it is true, as when administered internally, but with equalcertainty. A few years ago a child was accidentally killed by the applicationof opium and water to the surface of an extensive scald. There are several varieties of opium, of which the most valuable and best knownare the Smyrna, Constantinople, Egyptian, and Indian. In this country the poppy
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15. —THE OPIUM POPPT. 844 MATERIA MEDICA. has been occasionally cultivated for the purpose of obtaining opium, and specimenshave been produced which were ascertained to be in no way inferior to the Oriental.Opium is a solid, compact substance, of a dark reddish-brown colour, opaque, softand tenacious when fresh, but when long kept, hard and readily powdered. It hasa strong, heavy, peculiar, and somewhat disagreeable smell, and a nauseous taste.It is inflammable, and burns with a bright flame. It is partly soluble in water,forming a solution of a dark brown colour. The Smyrna opium is imported inrounded or flattened masses, which are enveloped in leaves ; whilst the Egyptian ismade into cakes of about three inches in diameter. The Bengal opium is peculiar,it being sent over in hard, round balls, nearly as large as a childs head, and lookingvery much like a 24-pound shot. The smell of opium is so essentially sui generisthat no difliculty is experienced in recognising the drug in whate