Of Opium, which is the condensed juyce of Poppy.

OPIUM is one of the chief stumbling stones of those which are Sectators of the pure Galenical Physick, and have ever avoided to set their foot in the sanctuary of Chymistry: which Aversion can only proceed of their want of knowledge in natural things, and a true experience of their Vertues: For ut ignoti nulla cupido, ita nec cura; and as nothing else but Nature it self and natural Philosophy, which is Chymistry, can have per∣swaded by diligent search and labour, and reiterated Experiments, that Opium is not ro be feared nor rejected from amongst Re∣medies, whether it be raw and crude as it is brought to us from the East, or prepared according to the Rules and Prescriptions of Chymistry: So is it not to be wondred at, if they that call themselves Christians, and yet have never been searchers of Na∣ture, do every day despise what they never knew, but by the Teaching and Reasoning of some Professor who has only read that Opium was unfit to be used, and that it was condemned by Pliny and by Galen; which is too sufficient an Authority (in their Judgements) to be condemned by such as openly profess and make it a scruple of Conscience, not to follow blindly their Masters; and swear as they say, in verba Magistri. But that which is yet much more to be wondred at, is, that they will by a soveraign and Magisterial Authority establish in their Hearers a Belief and Assent of their Doctrine, without being obliged to prove it by effects and real Demonstration; and the worst of all yet is, that they will treat injuriously such as are not willing to condescend to their Opinion: Though these last, either An∣cient or Modern Writers, are grounded upon the Basis of true and solid Reason, whose right foundation is Experience. For it is not enough for a Chymical Philosopher to say, that Opium may be prepared and corrected in such a manner, as it may in∣offensively be inwardly taken: Since this were no better then ta∣citely to confess, that it is naught and dangerous of its own nature; But a true Naturalist must search the reason of things in their Page  35very spring; to examine if that which produces the controvert∣ed quality, is of it self good or bad. Now all those that are verst in the History of Plants, know that the Poppy, from which Opium is taken, is a plant which in all times has had its use and credit in Physick; and likewise the Opium, as without contro∣versie it is proved by the Syrups which are compounded there∣with, by the seed put in Emulsions, and by the Opium it self, which without any due preparation, is used in the composition of E∣lectuaries in all dispensatories, and whence they have the name of Opiates: Whence it is plain, that the Poppy hath at all times been allowed amongst the best Practitioners, in the number of Remedies. Which thing to examine a little more strictly, I shall entreat all impartial and unprejudicated Judges to consider, that the syrup of white Poppy, that of the red-flower Poppy, and all the kinds of Diacodium, are nothing else but Extracts, or Juyces of Poppy mixt with sugar to reduce them into Syrups, which are every day made use of in all kind of diseases, whereto they are proper, with very good successe: and whosoever will make a judicious and unprejudicated reflection upon Opium, which is the Maslak of the Turks, or the Meconium of Latins, shall find that whatsoever efficacy and vertue is in these two condensed Juyces, comes but from the same spring from which both the Sy∣rups and Diacodium did originally derive theirs. For whether it be that the water draws the vertue of the heads of Poppy which contain its imperfect seed, and that this vertue be also concen∣trated in the Syrup: it is likewise the same vertue which is ex∣tracted from these heads of Poppy by their bare incision, which occasion those drops that by little and little are condensed, and yield that thick and condensated Juyce which is the true Opium or Maslak of the Turks. Or whether also this expression draws the vertue of the Juyce of Leaves or tender heads of Poppy, which make the Meconium or grosser Opium; We must acknowledge, that either the Poppy and its preparations are to be banisht from the use of Physick; or if the Decoctions, Syrups, and Diacodi∣um continue to be in use, then the Opium or even the Meconium cannot be rejected, since they proceed from the same Plant: and that these Juyces thickned and condensated, have nothing else in themselves, but contractedly what the foresaid Remedies con∣tain Page  36and afford in a larger bulk and proportion of matter. But if any body would object, that the Decoction and Sugar only, take what is good in the Poppy, and that the hurtful part remains be∣hind, we must have recourse to the anatomy of the Plant to an∣swer this objection; and say, that this Plant is compounded of gross and subtil parts: that the gross are the herb and juyce which easily is drawn from it and in good quantity; that in this Juyce are invisibly contained the subtil parts, which are an external and material Sulphur, unseparably mixt with another internal Sulphur, and with volatile, mercurial and sulphureous Salt, which are folded in and shut up in the gross and tenacious Mass of the substance which constitutes the Opium, and hath much of gross salt and terrestrious or earthly parts in it self, but chiefly Meco∣nium. Now as Poppy is not yet ripe nor well disgested when em∣ployed to make Syrups, Opium and Meconium, so as the sulphur cannot yet sufficiently be concentrated in the seed, to hinder the predominancy of the salt, which is so mixt with it as to be yet embryonated, and so dissolved and united to the water which is added in the composition of the Decoction, or the water of its own Juyce; an evident proof, that the same vertue which is diffused in the Decoction, whereof Syrups are made and all the kinds of Diacodium, is more contracted and united in the Juyce, which naturally comes forth out of the heads of Poppy whereof the Opium is made by Incisions, or extracted by expression, as the Meconium is. All this we have said above, tends only to shew, that it is a wrong and injury done to the Art, to use with Au∣thority and great commendations those common Remedies which by coarse and rude preparations are taken from the Poppy, and for the most part distaste the Patient by their quantity and unplea∣santnesse; and to forbid obstinately those which are invented by Chymical Physitians, who have moreover separated the purity from its impurity, and so judiciously with so much Art, have redressed and corrected all the defects which might be attributed to Opium; and that besides, they prescribe it in a very little Dosis and small proportion; they have so much altered the case and odour thereof, that those which without being acquainted with it, take upon themselves to traduce and cry it down, would be much put to it to know it, if laid before them without being told, Page  37or put in some suspition or guess thereof by having some smal light from Chymistry, which might best of all teach them. But to add yet more weight to what we have said, let us join Experi∣ence to Ratiocination: for that true Touch-stone will teach us, that whole Nations use every day Opium or Maslak very pure and un∣mixt without interruption, for the richer sort, and Meconium for the meaner sort of people, and that without any previous preparation, and in a very excessive Dosis, since they take it from ℈{is}. at least to ʒ.j. wholly, without receiving thereby any hurt or prejudice, have only a kind of giddiness in the Head as if they were drunk; which hath made the proverbial Reproach, You have taken Opium: as if we should say amongst us, You are drunk. To confirm this Assertion, we have all the most authentick Records and famous Relations of those that have travelled in the Indies and the Le∣vant; chiefly amongst the Mahumetans: who all believe that O∣pium doth raise their Spirits, makes them more couragious and bold, and causes them to undervalue dangers and perils. The In∣dians take it to hinder sadness, and prevent melancholly from seiz∣ing upon them; as also to be more enabled to satisfie longer the lust and luxurious inclination of the Indian women. It is true, that the same Authors do tell us, that if those that are not accusto∣med to it would at first undertake to use as much at once, as those that by custom have made it familiar to their nature, they may fall in very dangerous and sad accidents, and run even hazard of their lives: but that ought not to bring a prejudice and aspersion upon Opium to reject it absolutely, since the hurful quality with which it is upbraided, proceeds only from the excesse made by them that take it without having been acquainted with it before, and habitu∣ated their bodies to the same by little and little: just as if Wine should therefore be dis-esteemed, because some body may be dis-ordered by it, either by an over-proportion of what he takes, or because he is altogether unacquainted with it. Do we not see that Tobacco either taken in smoak, chaw'd, or in sneezing-pouder, causes very ill and surprizing symptomes in all those which are not accustomed unto it, bringing a sudden giddiness upon them; vomiting, cold sweats, even as if they were at deaths-door; and yet nevertheless when they have made it habitual, some are so wedded to the use of it, that they can by no means be taken from Page  38it, or deprived of that comfort. Therefore we must never rashly give our Judgement of the ill effects which are produced by the excessive use of any thing, otherwise we must condemn the best things that are sought for and appointed for the preservation of our life, witness this Axiom in Physick which saith, that Omnis repletio mala, panis autem pessima; and thus much had we to say concerning Opium, and those which daily make use thereof with very good successe in their practice, to master Diseases and correct their most dangerous and troublesome accidents. We will only add to this before we come to the practical part, a word very considerable; and it is this, That I believe to have found the reason why Opium doth not make so great an im∣pression upon the Eastern people, according to my Judgement as upon Europaeans: Because these drink Wine or some other fermented Liquor for the most part, such as are Cider, Beer, &c. and the others drink none but commonly water. Now the fer∣mented Liquors do exalt the Narcotick and Soporifick sulphur of the Opium, and by the subtility of their spirits convey it in∣to the very Veines and Arteries, where it makes, or is capable to make (I say Opium) many dangerous impressions, being ta∣ken in too great a Dosis; or not prepared with all the exactness acquired. I conclude then, this Theorical Discourse of Opium by the protestation I make, to have exposed none but of the best and most exact preparation, according to the prescription of the most learned and famous Practitioners of our Age, and that in greater quantity then any Apothecary of France since 30 years has done, without ever seeing any ill accident to happen contrariwise; I have seen so many, so admirable, and so lau∣dible effects, that I will be ready all my life-time to acknowledge in thankfulnesse, and to praise those to whom I am obliged for the knowledge of this Heavenly Remedy: The preparation whereof followes, according as study, labour and experience have taught it me.