No patient, unless ordered by the physician, should be allowed to keep his cup and take his medicine at his leisure. Suicidal patients often ask to do this, and then save the medicine, until they have enough to poison themselves. Others will throw the medicine away. The way to administer medicine to the insane is to give it personally to the patient, and also see that it is swallowed. It is a frequent custom of many patients to retain the medicine in the mouth, and, when the attendant has left, to spit it out. It is often very important that patients should take the medicine ordered, and every effort should be made to induce them to take it. Such patients should be designated by the physician. Night medicines, or those given about bedtime, are usually of great importance. All patients who refuse to take their medicine should be reported to the physician. The reasons for refusing medicines are various; some say they are perfectly well and need no medical treatment, others think the medicine injures them, that it turns their skin black, or poisons them, or that it is wrong to take it, or displeasing to God; ideas much like those that we learned were the causes for the refusal of food. Attendants are to use every effort to get patients to take medicine, and may employ as much force as they were instructed to use in giving food, but no more. Patients should not be deceived about medicines, nor told by attendants that it is nothing, that it is only a little water, or some nice drink that is sent to them, nor should an attempt be made to give them, by trying to disguise them in food or drink, except by the permission of a physician. Patients should, on the other hand, be told that it is medicine, that the doctor ordered it for them, that it is for their good to take it, that it is given to help them get well. The giving of medicine and food is among the most important and frequent duty that an attendant is called upon to perform, or assist others in doing. Attendants must remember that many medicines are injurious or even poisonous, if not properly given, or if mixed with other medicines, or if given to the wrong patient; they should therefore, never make a mistake, or, if by carelessness they commit one, should immediately report it. _Opium and Some of its Preparations._--Opium is a medicine that is very frequently given to patients in an asylum. The ordinary dose is one grain. _Tincture of opium, or laudanum_, is opium dissolved in alcohol. Ten minims equal one grain of opium. _Camphorated tincture of opium, or Paregoric_, is a weaker alcoholic solution, with some camphor, and flavored with a pleasant aromatic. One half a fluid ounce equals a grain of opium. _Morphine_ is a white powder extracted from opium. An eighth of a grain about equals a grain of opium.