SECTION 107.
OPIUM.
General Indications
Profound stupor - Moaning respiration - profuse sweat - stools like sheep dung - ailments worse from warmth, and after sleep, and from wine.
Minute Dose
Opium, Section 56, B - C - Morphia, Sec. 56, A - C.
Officinal Dose
Adult, 1/2 to 1 grain - Extract of opium 1/4 to 1/2 grain - Fluid Extract of opium 10 to 40 drops - Deodorized tincture 6 to 12 minims - Wine of opium 6 to 12 minims - Morphia 1/8 to 1/2 grain - Acetate of Morphia 1/8 to 1/2 grain - Sulphate of Morphia 1/8 to 1/2 grain - Codeia 1/2 to 1 grain - Laudanum 5 to 15 minims - Paregroic 1/2 to 2 drachms. Child, see Section 56, A - B. Children until at least three years of age are extremely susceptible to the poisonous influence of opium and morphia, hence the need of the greatest caution in administering any kind of opiate to children. For older persons the caution needed is lest an opium habit become established by its too persistent use. Always begin with the smallest quantity likely to prove efficient, never sanction a needlessly large dose.
Hypodermatic Dose
Formula. Morphia sulph., 16 grains; Aqua 1 ounce; mix. Adult, 3 to 15 minims or about 1/10 to 1/2 grain in solution. In commencing treatment, the dose should not exceed one - third of that ordinarily administered. Used especially to control Severe Pain - Pain of advanced cancer - Abdominal Neuralgia - After Pains - Cramp - Spasm - Irregular heart action - Inflammation of serous membranes, early stage - Cerebro - spinal meningitis, early - Delirium Tremens - Mania - Insomnia - Herpes Zoster - Convulsions of infants, when other treatment fails, 1/60 to 1/30 grain doses - In advance of surgical operation, and administration of Chloroform.
Morphia and Atropia combined act better than either alone. Atropia in small doses, 1/96 grain, increases the hypnotic power of Morphia. Atropia 1/20 grain is equal in toxic power to 1 grain of Morphia.
The only exception in favor of the use of the Morphia uncombined with Atropia, is in the treatment of Acute Brain affections with high temperature and injected eyes.
The proportion for the mixture of the two should be; Morphia 1/4 grain, with Atropia 1/120 grain, in solution for adult dose; this may be increased to double the quantity of each if necessary, in extreme cases. This combination is especially adapted to the treatment of Insomnia - Convulsions - Epilepsy - Petit Mal - Hysteria - Hiccough - Spasmodic jerking and twitching of muscles - Ileus - Spasmodic stricture - Dysuria - Enuresis - Neuralgic Headache - Neuralgia in general - Toothache - Sciatica - Angina pectoris - Emphysema - Asthma - Laryngismus stridulous - Hysterical Aphonia - Diseases of the digestive, urinary and genital organs - Spermatorrhea - Pelvic and uterine pains - Acute rheumatism - Rheumatic gout - Myalgia - Hernia to facilitate reduction - Cholera collapse, full dose - In advance of surgical operation to prevent shock and spasm.
(a) Apomorphia, hypodermatic dose, adult, 1/16 grain in solution, is the most suitable of all emetics for narcotic poisoning, when not from opium, repeat the dose if necessary until vomiting is produced. In capillary Bronchitis to free the tubes - in Croup to dispel the false membrane by vomiting - Foreign body in the Esophagus to produce emesis - Intestinal obstruction - Asthma - Night sweat.
(B) Pain. Apply Opium liniment, or Laudanum mixed with hot lard; or Laudanum sprinkled on hot flaxseed poultice; or Gum opium steeped in hot water, and the water thickened with cracker dust; this latter especially for painful sprain or violent orchitis.
Eye affections. Opium 1 grain, in Rose water 1 ounce mixed; a few drops of the solution in the eye several times a day, removes inflammation. A good eye lotion may be made of distilled water 1 ounce; pure glycerine 1 drachm; and crude opium 1 grain; mixed. Perhaps the best local stimulus ever employed for clearly pronounced chronic inflammation of the eye, is the wine of opium, a single drop introduced once or twice a day, until there is produced a permanent reaction.
Mucous Polypus. Apply McMunn's Elixir of Opium full strength, every day; soon gone.
Sleeplessness from pain or cough. - "Take Codeia, adult, 1 grain, on retiring to bed at night; wake up next morning bright and lively."
Drunken Stupor. Laudanum, adult one teaspoonful.
Inveterate Vomiting with cough. When nothing can be taken into the stomach, inject into the bowel 1/2 teacupful of water mixed with wheat flour to consistency of cream, and containing (stirred into it) 5 to 10 drops of Laudanum.
Dysmenorrhea - Painful Menses. - "Codeia, 1/4 grain night and morning, is all that is needed." One or two parvules of morphia every hour will relieve pain without producing nausea.
Puerperal Fever. - "You cannot have too much faith in opium, taken early in puerperal fever to check the occurrence of inflammation of the pelvic organs. Attacks mostly come with severe pain in the abdomen, and temperature up to 103 deg. or 104 deg. F.; now you may check all this at the beginning with a suppository of opium, or still better with a hypodermatic dose of the same. "
Bowel Obstruction. Opium, adult 1/2 grain taken every 4 hours, for two or three days or longer; arrests the most dangerous symptoms, such as stercoraceous vomiting, and finally brings about free operation of the bowels and cure. "Place patient on right side, hips propped up at an angle of 45 degrees, and (if an adult) inject into the bowel 1/2 gallon of warm water containing 1 ounce of strong decoction of tobacco; keep patient in this position 20 minutes, with external pressure on the anus, then place the person in bed; in about 10 minutes sleep will ensue, and in about 4 hours the patient will wake up, and have a passage - well!"
Dry Tickling Cough. No peace day or night - Deodorized tincture of opium, adult drop doses on sugar, after each paroxysm of coughing, sure to relieve. This is the cough charmer.
When the catheter will not pass, try with the patient standing slightly bent forward; if this fails, give a grain of opium, and after an hour try again.