Opium
in chemistry, the dried juice obtained from Papaver somniferum, extensively cultivated in Asia Minor, Egypt, and India. An incision is made in the unripe capsules, the juice is left to dry over night, and then removed with a blunt knife. Opium is a complex substance containing morphine (3-15 per OPORTO cent.), the most important alkaloid, narcotine, codeïne, narceïne, thebaïne, papaverine, meconic acid, meconin, resin, and fat, together with other substances, the composition of which is not clearly established. In pharmacy, in small doses it produces brief excitement, and then acts as a soporific. In large doses the sleep becomes coma, and death ensues.
It is given to allay pain and spasm.