Opium and Victorian Britain

Opium and the Victorian British opium have been imported into England for medicinal purposes for centuries but have not been used as a panacea drug or exotic recreational drug from the late 18th century until the beginning of the 19th century. Illness Anyone could legally engage in trading opium products until the "Pharmaceutical Affairs Law" that limits opium sales to professional pharmacists in 1868 was enacted.

Widespread use of psychoactive drugs (especially opium) in the UK in Victorian influences all sectors of society, but the doctor began to warn of poisoning risk was not until the beginning of the 20th century . Medical problems Ultimately, the UK banned drug use through the Drug Drugs Act in 1920.

In the Victorian UK the most notorious use of opium is as a quiet baby (Parssinen 42). Children are often given a godfree kindness (also called mother 's friends) consisting of opium, water, and molasses, and they are kept quiet. This syrup has a harmful effect, leading to infant deaths and serious illness. It is recommended for abdominal pain, vomiting, snoring, pleurisy, rheumatism, mucositis, cough. You can buy 25 or 25 drops of labor for pennies. Raw opium is usually sold as a pill or stick (Berridge 440)

In the early 19th century, opium was listed in the UK due to the expansion of the British Empire, and soon it was as popular as alcohol. However, most of the opium imported to the UK comes from Turkey, not from India. "Turkish Opium is known for its strength and quality, usually occupies 80% to 90% of the total import volume in the UK, and only when Persian varieties are more widely imported from the late 1970s to the 1980s I lost the advantage. "438) Opium and opium derivatives are widely recognized as" all treatments "in the Victorian England, and the scope of the opiate preparation on the market is huge.

Opium and other anesthetics have played an important role in Victorian life. The shocking thing is that it may be us in the 21st century, but in the Victorian era it is possible to purchase chemists without prescription drugs, laudanum, cocaine, or even arsenic There is that. Opietate is sold freely in urban and rural markets, and indeed, opium consumption is equally popular in the country and urban areas. The most popular formulation is Raudanum, a mixture of alcoholic herbs containing 10% opium. "Raudanum" known as "Aspirin of the 19th century" is a popular analgesic and relaxant recommended for various diseases such as cough, rheumatism, "women's troubles". It is hypnotism for babies and young children. And you can buy 25 drops of laudanum for 1 penny, you can afford it too.