SPHERE OF ACTION
This powerful narcotic spends the whole of its action upon the cerebro-spinal system. No drug affects the cerebral tissue more profoundly. The cerebral vessels and sinuses are distended with blood of a dark color, and it becomes extravasated into the substance of the brain, and sometimes large clots of coagulated blood have been found in the substances of the brain. This direct action of Opium upon the neurine cells of the brain is directly opposite to the action of Belladonna; for it is a fact that one is a complete antidote to the other. Poisonous effects of Belladonna produce excitement going on to furious delirium, while Opium produces oppression fast merging into sopor and coma. Now this gives us a clue as to how remedies cure disease. The remedy must affect the same organ and tissue diseased, and it appears from the action of these remedies that the dynamic power or spiritual substance (I prefer the latter) of the remedy acts directly opposite to the spiritual substance causing the disease.
Now, in diseases calling for the use of Opium, we find paralysis, with stupor and deep sleep; these symptoms, we know, are cured every day by Opium, but Opium produces symptoms identical with these. Here we find our great law Similia Similibus Curantur. Two forces that act on the same organ and tissue, producing similar symptoms, when acting together annihilate each other’s action.
Pereira says the action of Opium upon the digestive system is to diminish secretion and exhalation from the whole canal; dryness of the mouth and throat; excites thirst; lessens hunger; checks the digestive process; in some cases it excites vomiting; diminishes the liquidity of the stools. This action is caused by its paralyzing influence through the cerebro-spinal system upon the capillary vessels of the whole alimentary canal. From the great power it has in lead colic, arresting the spasmodic pains and restoring the action of the mucous exhalants, we must infer that it has a great influence upon the muscular coat of the bowels as well as on the mucous coats.
Upon the sexual organs, it produces lascivious fancies, nocturnal emissions; and in the female, spasmodic labor-pains.
Upon the bladder, it paralyzes the muscular fibres of the fundus, rather than the sphincters.
GRAND CHARACTERISTICS.
In all diseases that call for the use of Opium, the central difficulty will be found in the brain.
Mind.–Diseases that originate from fright, the fear of the fright still remaining.
Thinks she is not at home; this is continually in her mind; face purplish and swollen.
Very sleepy, but cannot go to sleep.
Screaming before or during the spasm.
Delirious talking; eyes wide open; face red and puffed.– Sopor with delirium; depression of the lower jaw; dilated pupils; and general symptoms of paralysis of the brain.
Unrefreshing, soporous sleep, with eyes half open; snoring during inspiration and expiration.
Sleeplessness, with acuteness of hearing; clocks striking and cocks crowing at a great distance, keep her awake.–FINCKE.
Drunkenness, with stupor as with smoke in the brain, eyes burning, hot, and dry.-.
After a fright with fear, convulsions, or the head hot, and twitching round the mouth.-.
Head.–Brain oppressed; extreme drowsiness, and coma, with stertorous breathing.
Profound coma; patient cannot be aroused from the stupor.
Complete loss of consciousness.
The face is purplish and swollen, with soporous sleep, stertorous breathing, and vomiting.
Patient is profoundly comatose; pupils greatly contracted, or widely dilated and insensible; face puffed, with dark red or cherry-brown appearance; stertorous breathing; pulse full and labored, or slow and feeble.
Twitching, trembling of the head, arms and hands, now and then; jerks as if the flexors were overacting; body cold; inclination to stupid sopor; motion of the body and uncovering of the head relieves.–B.
Digestive Organs.–Constipation; stools composed of round, hard, black balls. This is Opium’s great characteristic.
Nervous and irritable; passes nothing but hard, black balls, from the bowels.-.
Colic, with great pressure downwards upon the rectum and bladder, without any passing off of faeces, gas, or urine.–RAUE.
Lead colic, very useful.
Kidneys.–Child makes no water with full bladder, without any passing off of the gas, faeces, or urine.–RAUE.
Paralysis of the muscles of the fundus of the bladder, rather than those of the sphincter.-.
Respiratory Organs.–Admirable in spasmodic, dry, titillating cough; especially tormenting at night, with scanty expectoration.–BAEHR.
Never give Opium in cough, with profuse expectoration of mucus, or it will tend to great dryness.–BAEHR.
I can testify to its great utility, in dry, spasmodic nightly coughs, that prevent sleep.
Generalities.–The skin hot and damp, or sweating, even in the morning, and a desire to uncover.-.
Coldness in the limbs; sleepy, but cannot sleep, from too much blood in the brain.
Polypus; tincture applied externally.
Sudden retrocession of acute eruptions; paralysis of the brain sets in, or convulsions; nervousness; diarrhoea, &c.
Bed feels so hard she cannot lie upon it. This last symptom is a prominent key to the use of Opium.
(1836-1897)
Characteristic materia medica Published 1873
Physiological materia medica, containing all that is known of the physiological action of our remedies; together with their characteristic indications and pharmacology. Published 1881