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laudanum

(Encyclopedia)laudanum lôdˈənəm [key], tincture, or alcoholic solution, of opium, first compounded by Paracelsus in the 16th cent. Not then known to be addictive, the preparation was widely used up through the ...

codeine

(Encyclopedia)codeine kōˈdēn [key], alkaloid found in opium. It is a narcotic whose effects, though less potent, resemble those of morphine. An effective cough suppressant, it is mainly used in cough medicines. ...

papaverine

(Encyclopedia)papaverine pəpăvˈərēn [key], alkaloid found in opium that acts as a muscle relaxant and vasodilator. The drug relaxes the smooth muscle of the larger blood vessels and is used to increase the blo...

hypnotic drugs

(Encyclopedia)hypnotic drugs, drugs that induce sleep, sometimes called soporifics. In general, hypnotics are central nervous system depressants. Alcohol, laudanum (see opium), bromide salts, and herbs such as vale...

treaty port

(Encyclopedia)treaty port, port opened to foreign trade by a treaty. The term is usually confined to ports in those countries that formerly strongly objected to foreign trade or attempted altogether to exclude it. ...

De Quincey, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)De Quincey, Thomas də kwĭnˈsē [key], 1785–1859, English essayist. In 1802 he ran away from school and tramped about the country, eventually settling in London. His family soon found him and ente...

opiate drug

(Encyclopedia)opiate drug, any of a group of drugs derived from opium. Used medicinally to relieve pain and induce sleep, they include codeine, morphine, the morphine derivative heroin, and, formerly, laudanum. Som...

Mangan, James Clarence

(Encyclopedia)Mangan, James Clarence măngˈgən [key], 1803–49, Irish poet. He spent most of his life as a clerk, eventually slipping into alcoholism and opium addiction. His reputation rests on his English rend...

Anshun

(Encyclopedia)Anshun änˈsho͝onˈ [key], city (1994 est. pop. 205,600), W central Guizhou prov., SW China. A flourishing town during the opium traffic days, it is now an important market and commercial center. Am...

Ghazipur

(Encyclopedia)Ghazipur gäˈzēpo͝orˌ [key], town, Uttar Pradesh state, N central India, on the Ganges River. A ...