"Upon the Sense of a violent _Irritation_ and _Pain_, the Fluid of the Nerves is presently, and in large Quantities determined to the Part affected; and this, if the _Stimulus_ be not over-great, will only be to such a Degree as is sufficient, by contracting the Fibres of the Stomach, and Muscles of the Abdomen, to throw off the Cause of the disagreeable _Sensation_; but the uneasy _Twitching_ being too terrible to be borne, the Mind, by a Kind of Surprize, does with _Haste_ and _Fury_ as it were, command the Spirits thither; thus the Business is overdone, and the Action of the Fibres becomes so strong, that the Orifices of the Stomach are quite closed; so that, instead of discharging the noxious Matter, the _Torment_ is made greater, and the whole _Oeconomy_ put into Confusion." The Proportions of the volatile Parts of Opium are so very great, that when received into the Stomach, they presently enter into Action, which Parts, being of an innate soporiferous, and stupefactive Quality, peculiar to this Poison, make some Progress before Nature is materially excited to reject them, and is the Reason why the afflicted Person has Symptoms, at first, common only to Ebriety. The combined Powers of Opium, consisting of Salts and Sulphurs, must be corrosive to a certain Degree; on this Account it is reckoned a Depilatory; and when expanded in the Stomach, the innate active Principle, or volatile Salt, must necessarily inflame the Coats of it, as much as any other Poison of equal Power. To this Quality are owing all the dreadful Symptoms of Vertigoes, Vomitings, Madness, Sopors, Convulsions, &c. On the same Principles, the pleasing Sensations of a moderate Dose may be explained; for, when taken into the Stomach, in so small a Quantity as may be requisite only to procure Rest or ease Pain, the Divisibility of it, especially in a fluid State, is almost immediate, the volatile Salts are presently brought into Action by the Heat of the Stomach, which, by their Rarefaction, cause an agreeable Plenitude, and in a much more eminent Degree, than the Effects produced by an hearty Meal, and arise from that grateful Sense of a moderate Fullness of the Stomach, which so frequently inclines us to sleep; the corrosive Power being so broke likewise, and expanded, cannot do more than stupify the Part, and thereby induce the Subject meerly to rest, without any consequent Misfortune. The first and most powerful Action of Opium being in the Stomach, the Cure is to be begun by _evacuating and blunting the Acrimony of it_ as quickly as possible.