We certainly know, that Lixivial and Alkali Salts will disunite and dissolve resinous Bodies, but not so expeditiously as these Cases must require; nor are we ignorant, that such Salts are greatly corrosive; as we experience in the Composition of Cauteries; must they not therefore further encrease the Abrasion of the Vessels? We have read likewise, and indeed Experience confirms, that lixivial Bodies augment the Power of Volatiles; in that Sense, what can be expected from their Use, but Expansion, and an Encrease of the corrosive Power? Should we not rather endeavour to check the Activity of those Principles, by clogging and weakening their Powers, and to strengthen the fibrous Coats of the Stomach, against the repeated Attacks of such an active Enemy?
As the Author before us, has been very minute and prolix upon this Subject, it may be necessary to examine his Principles, relative to the Cure, somewhat further. The first Thing he judges most proper, and to be given with all possible Speed, is Salt of Tartar one Scruple, in a Spoonful or two of Brandy, or some other hot cordial Spirit, if Spirit of Wine be too hot. Herein we find, lest the Corrosiveness of the fixt Salt should not prove sufficient, if given separately, their Powers are to be united; and thus to be repeated even to every two Minutes. There is something whimsical in his directing the Person to be placed in the very same Position as he was when he took the Opium, that the Spirit, or rather combined Solvent, should fall immediately upon the Resin, and thus instantaneously, as he expresses himself, dissolve and disengage it from the Coats of the Stomach.
Why a fixed Salt is to be given in a spirituous Body, I cannot comprehend; the Salt being, in such a Liquid, indissoluble, and certainly more corrosive. I fear too, that if it should immediately dissolve the Resin (which is a very improbable Supposition) it would only encrease the Corrosiveness and Expansion of the Poison, whereby the Stimulus would become excessive, and would inflame and contract the Orifices of the Stomach so powerfully, as to prevent the Benefit that might arise from Vomiting, and so throw the Party into an immediate Convulsion; for this same Reason, I think his subsequent Direction, to take the Alkali Salt and Spirit after every Vomiting, lest it should return from the Stomach without any Effect, very unnecessary; for the Inflammation of the Oesophagus and Larynx would undoubtedly prevent such a Kind of Remedy being administered very often.
The taking the Yolk of an Egg, to sheath the Salts of the Opium, and confine their Power, and the Sapo Tartareus, stand both recommended by Dr. Jones; the Egg particularly, with this additional Assertion, "That it will be found by Experience (which is yet much wanted, because it has not been used) "to be the very best Help in these Cases."
Notwithstanding this conjectural Opinion of his, he again recommends Lixivial Salts and Spirit; and that their Use might not be neglected, tells you, if you should not have Salt of Tartar at hand, other Alkaline Salts will serve the Purpose; as of Wormwood, &c. but these being of a weaker Nature, their Quantity is to be encreased, at least, one third; and in great Urgency, from a Deficiency of them, their Ashes, or those of any Vegetable, may be taken; provided they are joined with Brandy, or old Wine; and that the Roughness of the Ashes will contribute not a little to wear off the Resin.
Geoffroy informs us, that the first Thing necessary to remedy this Poison, is to empty the Vessels by copious Bleeding, if Strength will admit.
Though this is a Practice I do not condemn, yet, as not having experienced the Use, I cannot recommend it; for instead of relieving Nature thereby, I should fear a Relaxation might be hurried on, which ought to be prevented as much as possible.——In Fact, the Stomach is the Place of Action, and present Relief can only be obtained, rationally, by immediate Applications to that Part.
The Effect of Opium upon the Venous Fluid, is not immediate, but secondary; for when injected into a Vein, it will neither encrease the Motion of the Blood, nor coagulate it. Sir Christopher Wren gives us an Instance of this, by transfusing a Solution of Opium into the Blood of a Dog, which, he observed, had no Effect upon the Animal, until it had Time to reach his Brain, when the Dog became drowsy, and staggered; from which he was relieved, by being forced into Motion, and in a short Time afterwards grew fat. This, I think, proves, that the violent Effects of Opium are on the Nerves, and not upon the Blood, which, by a Consent of Parts, it can only rarify, and make more fluid. By diminishing the Quantity of Blood in the Veins, the Secretions of Sweat and Urine are interrupted, and the Relaxation, so much to be dreaded, is forwarded.——The great Boyle, and Dr. Willis, likewise mention Experiments of this Kind, made upon a Dog, but differ in their Accounts; Willis asserting, that a Dog can bear a large Quantity of Opium, and overcome the Poison: He gives an Account of one that had received, by Transfusion, three Ounces of liquid Laudanum into his Veins, and without any very violent Symptoms, or other Help, than the Exercise of a Whip, to keep the Dog in Motion, he perfectly recovered. The Effect which followed Laudanum, being poured into a Dog's Stomach, as Dr. Mead experimented, is very different from that by Transfusion, for it presently convulsed and killed him; and upon Dissection, he found that the Poison had not only inflamed the Coats of the Stomach, but abraded the finer Vessels of the Brain.
To consider Opium in a true Light, respecting the primary Action of it in the Stomach, is, in my Opinion, to suppose it similar in Corrosivity to any other succulent vegetable Poison, with a peculiar stupefactive Power, that characterizes it.
The Effect then is to be counteracted, by disengaging the Stomach from the Poison as fast as possible, by every Means of Secretion, checking the Virus of it, and exciting and supporting Nature with warm nervous Stimulants, untill she has freed herself entirely from the dangerous Effects of this powerful Drug.