2 1 8 The Complete EngliiTi c Difpenfatory. Part II.

been accuftom'd to a ftronger Alte-rative) had no Operation, until thehelp of Hemlock was again call'd in,with the deilr'd Succels.

It is a fufficient Confirmation c£all this Realbning, that Fro/per Al-finus obfèrv'd amongft the Egypti-ans, thole who had been accufto-med to Opium, and were faint andlanguid for want of it, (as Drinkersare, if they have not their fpirifuou»Liquors) to be recover'd, and putinto the lame Hate of Indolence andPleafiire, by large Dofes of CreticWin*, made hotter by the Infufionof Pepper, and the like ftrong.^n>-watics. Nor is it perhaps amils toremark, that in maniacal Perlons,as is frequently obferv'd, a quadru-ple Dofe of an Opiate will fcarceproduce any considerable effect.Now in Perfons fo affected, theMind is deeply engag'd, and takenup with lome Image or other, asLove, Anger,inc. fo that it ii not tobe ealily moved or diverted bythofeplealing Reprefentations which itwould attend to at another time,and upon which the Virtues of thefeMedicines do in a great meafure de-pend. Befidcs this, thofe who aremaniacal, do to a wonder bear theInjuries of Cold, Hunger, &c. andhave a prodigious degree of muf-cular Force j which argues the Tex-ture of their i/Wto be very ftrong,and the Coheiion of its Globulesgreat; (o that the Ipirituous Partsof an Opiate cannot make that Dil-union and Rarifaclion of this Fluidin them, which it does in ordinaryBodies and Constitutions.

How far this Theory is improva-ble ¡nto Practice, al! iuch are com-petent Judges, who have a true ac-quaintance with the Animal OEco-nomy. And bccauiè many medici-• imples under this Diviiton, have.often Effects which are tcrm'd de-

leterious and poifonous, infomuch asta kill, and that very fuddenly i itmay be worth while to inform our-felves from the fame Inftructor, whohas conducted us hitherto on thishead, how fuch Instruments aft inbringing about thofe fatal Confe-quences. For the moft gentle ofthis Tribe in an Over-Dofe, havethe fame Effects as a Poifon, andprove equally deftruftive. .Opiu?nin too great a quantity will inriairifthe Stomach, and rarify the Bloodto fuch a degree, that the Veflelscannot again recover their Tone;whereupon Apoplectic Symptoms,¿r-c. will enfue.

To be convine'd of this, Dr. Meadtells us, that he forced into the Sto-mach of a fmall Dog about half aDram of crude Opium, diffolv'd inboiling Wstcr. He quickly vomitedit up with a great quantity of frothySpittle ; but repeating the Trial, byholding up his Head and beating him,the Doctor made him retain three orfour Doles, intermitting betweeneach about a quarter of an hour.When the Dog had thus taken, asnear as he could guefs, about twoDrams, he watch'd him an hour ;when he began to ileep, but pre-fently started up with Convullions,fell into univerfal Tremblings, hisHead constantly twitch'd and (hook,he breath'd fhort and with labour,and at length loft entirely the ufefirft of his hinder Legs, and thenof the fore ones, which were stilt"and rigid like Sticks. _ As he layshorting, the Donor, to haften hisEnd, was giving him more of theS jluiion, but on a iinkiershis Limbslimber, and he died. Uponopening his Stomach, it was foundwonderfully diftendeiL tho' emptyof ¿very thing but lome Water andOpium, to: ..! Ibme Parcels

•: !• yinrus fwimming in it -,the