Medical Jurisprudence And Toxicology

OPItTM 617

Thebaine has a convulsant action, and produces tetanic spasms resem-
bling those caused by strychnine but is much less powerful. The fatal dose
is not known. About 8 grains would produce poisonous symptoms.1

Dicodid (Dihydrocodeinone acid tartrate) and Eukodal (dihydroxy-
codeinone hydrochloride) are salts which occur as white crystals, soluble in
water. The dose of dicodid is 1/16 to 1/12 grain and that of Eukodal is
1/12 to 1/6 grain orally and 1/6 to 1/3 grain subcutaneously.

Official Preparations.—The following are the official preparations of
opium and its alkaloids ; —

1. Opium Pulveratum (Powdered opium).—-Synonym, Pulvis Opii. It contains 10
per cent of anhydrous morphine. Dose, | to 3 grains.

2. Pulvis Cretoe Aromaticus cum Opio.—Strength, 0.25 per cent of morphine. Dose,
10 to 60 grains.

3. Pulvis Ipecacuanhas et Opii (Pulv. Ipecacuanhas Co., Dover's Powder).—Strength,
10 per cent of opium. Dose, 5 to 10 grains.

4. Tabellce Acidi Acetylsalicyli cum Ipecacuanha et Opio (Tablets of Aspirin and
Dover's Powder).—Strength, each tablet contains not less than 94.5 per cent and not
more than 105 per cent of Acetylsalicylic acid and not less than 0.9 per cent and not
more than 1.1 per cent of morphine. Dose, 1 or 2 tablets.

5. Tabellce Ipecacuanhas et Opii (Tabellce Pulveris Ipecacuanhas Composites or
Dover's Powder Tablets).—Strength, the average weight of anhydrous morphine in the
tablets is not less than 0.9 per cent and not more than 1.1 per cent. Dose, each tablet
should contain 5 grains of powder of ipecacuanha and opium.

6. Tincture Opii (Laudanum).— Strength, 1 per cent of anhydrous morphine. Dose,
5 to 30 minims.

7. Tinctura Opii Camphorata (Tinctura Camphoroe Co.; Paregoric or Paregoric
Elixir).—Strength, 1/37 grain of morphine in 1 fluid drachm. Dose, 30 to 60 minims.

8. Morphines Hydrochloridum.—Dose, i to 1/3 grain.

9. Liquor Morphines HydrochloridL—Strength, 1 per cent of morphine hydro-
chloride. Dose, 5 to 30 minims.

10. Suppositoria Morphines.—i grain of morphine hydrochloride in each.

11. Trochisci Morphines et Ipecacuanhas.—Strength, 1/32 grain of morphine hydro-
chloride in each,

12. Morphines Sulphas.—Dose, & to 1/3 grain.

13. Injectio Morphinos et dtropince,—Strength, J grain of morphine sulphate and
1/100 grain of atropine sulphate. t)ose, 8 to 15 minims.

14. Injectio morphines sulpha.tis.~~~Dose, morphine sulphate^ by subcutaneous
injection, J to 1/3 grain. , :

Proprietary Medicines.—The following are the proprietary medicines
containing opium or morphine :— •« • •

1, Chlorodyne,--Strength, about 4 grains of morphine, hydrochlori&e to aux ouncel
In addition to morphine it contains chloral, chloroform, hydrocyanic acid and tincture'of
cannabis indica, , __,.,

2, Dalby's Carminative.—Strength, 2i minims of laudanum to 1 fluid ounce.

3. Nepenthe.—It is also known as anodyne Cincture, and contains 0.84 per cent of
morphine.

4. Sydenham's Laudanum.—This is tincture of opium flavoured with saffron, and
is called Tinctura Opii Crocata, It contains 1 per cent of anhydrous morphine* Dose,
5 to 30 minims.

Symptoms.—These commence usually in from half-an-hour to an hour
after the poison has been taken. The symptoms commonly take more time
to appear when opium is taken in a solid form than when it is taken in,
solution. Cases have, however, occurred where the symptoms have
appeared almost immediately or within a few minutes, especially in children
and after a hypodermic injection of morphine or have been delayed for

1. Blyth, Poisons, their Effects and Detection, Ed. V, p. 321. '