Bottle of chalk & opium : Captain R C Grieve, 37 Battalion, AIF

Places	Europe: Belgium, Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Messines Europe: France
Accession Number	RELAWM01109.002
Collection type	Heraldry
Object type	Personal Equipment
Physical description	Cork, Glass, Gutta-percha, Paper
Location	Main Bld: First World War Gallery: Western Front 1917: 3rd Battle of Ypres
Maker	CHAS. OGG & Co.
Place made	Australia: Victoria, Melbourne
Date made	c. 1914- 1918
Conflict	First World War, 1914-1918

Description

Small glass bottle with cork stopper. A paper label with the manufacturer's details printed in red 'CHAS. OGG & Co PHARMACISTS / 76 COLLINS ST' Handwritten in black ink under this is 'Chalk + Opium / for diarrhrea or dystentry / Take as much as will cover a shilling in water three / or four times a day.' The beaker is practically empty, with some orange coloured staining around the cork stopper.

History / Summary

Opium is the dried latex from the opium poppy, and contains approximately 12% alkaloid morphine. It is used to produce heroin and other opiates.
Opium is the main component of laudanum. It is used in the treatment of fever, burns, colds, cholera, diarrhoea, toothaches, typhus, and other diseases that cause irritation or uncomfortableness.