Syrupus Papaveris (N. F.)—Syrup of Poppy.

Related entries: Opium (U. S. P.)—Opium - Syrupus Rhoeados.—Syrup of Red Poppy

Preparation.—I. "Tincture of poppy (F. 416), eight hundred and seventy-five cubic centimeters (875 Cc.) [29 fl℥, 282♏︎]; sugar, seven hundred and seventy-five grammes (775 Gm.) [1 lb. av., 11 ozs., 148 grs.]; water, a sufficient quantity to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Evaporate the tincture of poppy on a water-bath, at a gentle heat, until its volume is reduced to four hundred and fifty cubic centimeters (450 Cc.) [15 fl℥, 104♏︎]. In this dissolve the sugar with a gentle heat, strain, and when the syrup is cold, add enough water to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Note.—The product is practically identical with the Syrupus Papaveris of the British Pharmacopoeia. The corresponding preparation of the German Pharmacopoeia (Syrupus Papaveris, or Syrupus Diacodii) is much weaker, and may be prepared as follows: II. Tincture of poppy (F. 416), one hundred and twenty-five cubic centimeters (125 Cc.) [4 fl℥, 109♏︎]; syrup (U. S. P.), eight hundred and seventy-five cubic centimeters (875 Cc.) [29 fl℥, 282♏︎]. Mix them"—(Nat. Form.).

Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—This syrup is anodyne and narcotic, though capable of doing mischief on account of the uncertain opium strength of the poppy capsules employed in preparing the tincture. The dose for small children is placed at ½ fluid drachm.

Related Preparation.—SYRUPUS IPECACUANHAE ET OPII (N. F.). Syrup of ipecac and opium, Syrup of Dover's powder. "Fluid extract of ipecac (U. S. P.), eight and one-half cubic centimeters (8.5 Cc.) [138♏︎]; tincture of deodorized opium (U. S. P.), eighty-five cubic centimeters (85 Cc.) [2 fl℥, 420♏︎]; sugar, seven hundred and seventy-five grammes (775 Gm.) [1 lb. av., 11 ozs., 148 grs.]; cinnamon water (U. S. P.), a sufficient quantity to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Mix the fluid extract and tincture with three hundred and fifty cubic centimeters (350 Cc.) [11 fl℥, 401♏︎] of cinnamon water, and filter the liquid; to this add the sugar and enough cinnamon water to make the product, after the sugar has been dissolved by agitation, measure one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Each fluid drachm represents 5 grains of Dover's powder, or ½ grain, each, of ipecac and opium. Note.—In place of the above directed quantities of fluid extract of ipecac and tincture of deodorized opium, eighty-five cubic centimeters (85 Cc.) [2 fl℥, 320♏︎] of the official Tinctura Ipecacuanhae et Opii may be taken"—(Nat. Form.).

This preparation may be used like Dover's powder. The dose is from 1 to 2 fluid drachms.


King's American Dispensatory, 1898, was written by Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D.