White Poppy, Medicinal Plant, 1737
A Curious Herbal, Plate 483. Blackwell writes ""rom the heads of these poppies (in Turkey) the opium of our shops is produced, opium is the greatest anodine (painkiller) we have, easing pain, procuring sleep, stopping all violent evacuations, and is an excellent medicine in the hands of a wise man; and ought never to be prescribed by any other; many fatal accidents ensuing from the immoderate or unseasonable use of it." Opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the species of plant from which opium and poppy seeds are derived. A flowering plant of the family Papaveraceae. Opium is the source of many narcotics, including morphine, heroin, thebaine, codeine, papaverine, and noscapine. Before its modern uses, opium was refined by natives and used as an aphrodisiac, sedative, decongestant, hypnotic, painkiller, narcotic, and muscle relaxant. It was used for treating asthma, stomach illnesses, and bad eyesight. In ancient days, opium was most often used to treat toothaches, and coughs. Elizabeth Blackwell (1707-1758) was a famed Scottish illustrator and author who was best known as both the artist and engraver for the plates of "A Curious Herbal" (1737).
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