OPIUM


Clarke gives the toxic effects of homeopathy drug Opium and its therapeutic uses in non-toxic doses in his book The ABC Manual of Materia Medica and Therapeutics, published in 1901….


CHARACTERISTICS.

      Powerful analgesic colic, cramps tenesmus and other painful muscular contractions with purging and vomiting.; Painful spasmodic muscular contractions of the uterus bladder, and the gall and urinary ducts. Spasmodic asthma. Nervousness, prostration, sleeplessness an weak heart in typhoid fever, pneumonia, melancholia, and acute mania. Severe cardiac dyspnoea, pulse small and feeble.

TOXIC EFFECTS

      Vomiting. Vertigo. Great muscular relaxation and inco- ordination. Prostration. Functions of the brain depressed. SEnses blunted. Tendency to delirium somnolence. Coma. Pupils much contracted. Veins swollen, skin cyanosed, or pale and wet with perspiration. Hands and feet cold. Breathing slow and stertorous, pulse slow, irregular and weak.

IN CHRONIC POISONING THERE ARE; Nervousness. Hypochondriasis alternating with excitement. Hallucinations. Wakefulness. Suicidal tendency. 1. Neuralgia, gastralgia 2 Congested conjunctivae. Cyanosed lips. 3. Muscular weakness with tremors and tetanoid spasms. Dyspnoea Paresis of bowel causing constipation or diarrhoeal discharges. Vomiting. Atonic dyspepsia. 4 Dry tongue throat and bronchi. Hoarseness. Dryness of the skin itching with desquamation. 5 Urine usually scanty, but occasionally there is diuresis. 6 Pulse and respiration slow and feeble.7.

DOSE.

      Opii pulvis 1/2-3 gr.

Pulvis ipecacuanhae et opii (Dover’s powder) 5-15 gr.

Tinctura opii (Laudanum) 1/2-25 drops.

Tinctura opii deodorati, 1/4-13 drops.

Tinctura opii camphorata (Paregoric), 5-15 drops for a child and 1-4 drams for an adult.

Morphina sulphas, 1/20 – 1/2 gr.

Avoid the use of this drug in children and when necessary to use it prescribe doses not greater than one-sixtieth grain of morphine. Do not cover the morbid conditions, nor lock up secretions. Do not prescribe it for pain in chronic cases nor for persistent insomnia.

THERAPEUTIC USES.

      Melancholia: loss of appetite and great muscular weakness. 1-4 (One half to five drop doses of the deodorized tincture or one-twentieth grain of morphine hypodermically)

Acute mania: prostration, weak pulse wakefulness. 1-7 (Minute doses of morphia hypodermically)

Typhoid fever; sleeplessness, nervous exhaustion, trembling, twitching of the muscles. Dry tongue and skin atonic state of the stomach and bowels, pulse small, frequent and feeble 1-4-5-7 (Five to ten drops of laudanum by the rectum)

Pneumonia: pain cough, exhaustion and nervousness prevent sleep 1-5-7 (Five to ten drops of laudanum per rectum)

Pleurisy when pain, nervousness and exhaustion are great. 1. (Use as for pneumonia)

Wakefulness with excessive muscular action in chorea 1-4 (Morphine hypodermically)

Spasms of epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis. 4

Spasmodic pain of the bowels, bladder, uterus, gall and urinary ducts.4.

Traumatic tetanus.4. (Morphine into the muscles).

Colic and constipation due to spasmodic contraction of the intestines.4. (Paregoric after clearing out the intestines).

Spasmodic asthma.4. (Morphine).

Angina pectoris.4-7 (Small dose of morphine).

Tenesmus of dysentery.4 (Laudanum per rectum).

Lead colic.4.

Flatulent colic.4.

Pains and muscular contractions of threatened abortion.4.

Irritable bladder.4. (Suppositories containing laudanum).

Vomiting: reflex or from diseases of the stomach.4. (Suppositories or by the mouth).

Sea-sickness.4. (One-twentieth grain of morphine).

Nausea pain and loss of appetite in chronic gastritis.4. (Minute tonic doses before meals).

Diarrhoea: excessive muscular action and excessive mucous secretion of the intestinal tract.4.

Dysentery with much tenesmus.4. (The tincture per rectum in starch water).

Cholera morbus: severe pain, violent cramps, projectile vomiting with purging.4. (Morphine hypodermically or laudanum per rectum).

Diabetes: excess of urine, great thirst, dryness of mouth, throat and skin, itching and desquamation. Listlessness. Debility.1-4-5. (Opium by the mouth in increasing doses).

Dry red, inflamed throat and bronchi with hacking cough.5. (Morphine in troches or syrup of wild cherry).

Hay fever with bronchial spasms.4.

Sunstroke with vertigo, neuralgic pains pale or livid skin. Pulse feeble.7. (Morphine in small tonic doses).

Weak and dilated heart.7. (Minute doses).

Cardiac dyspnoea: face and extremities livid, veins distended, pulse small and feeble.7. (Inject one-sixth or one- eighth grain of morphine hypodermically).

Pain and shock from traumatism. (Morphine hypodermically in doses of from one-twelfth to one fourth grain).

Neuralgia. (Hypodermically, or paint over nerve solution of two grains of morphine in one dram of oleic acid).

Herpes zoster. (As for neuralgia).

Sciatica. (Inject into nerve one-eighth to one-quarter grain of morphine).

Lumbago. (Inject morphine into muscles).

Gastralgia.2.

Conjunctivitis with photophobia.3. (Lotion made by dissolving six to eight grains of morphine in one ounce of distilled water).

Earache. (Fill meatus with above lotion).

George Hardy Clark
Clark, George H. (George Hardy) 1860-1941 was the author of: Homeopathic Treatment of Asthenopia; Lee and Clark's Cough and expectoration : a repertorial index of their symptoms; The A B C Manual of Materia Medica and Therapeutics; A system for the care and training of children; The Black Plague and Its Control.