Around 1522, Paracelsus made reference to an opium-based elixir that he called laudanum from the Latin word laudāre, meaning "to praise" He described it as a potent painkiller, but recommended that it be used sparingly. The recipe given differs substantially from that of modern-day laudanum.Morphine was discovered as the first active alkaloid extracted from the opium poppy plant in December 1804 in Paderborn by German pharmacist Friedrich Sertürner. In 1817, Sertürner reported experiments in which he administered morphine to himself, three young boys, three dogs, and a mouse; all four people almost died. Sertürner originally named the substance morphium after the Greek god of dreams, Morpheus, as it has a tendency to cause sleep. Sertürners morphium was six times stronger than opium. He hypothesized that, because lower doses of the drug were needed, it would be less addictive. However Sertürner became addicted to the drug, warning that "I consider it my duty to attract attention to the terrible effects of this new substance I called morphium in order that calamity may be averted. "The drug was first marketed to the general public by Sertürner and Company in 1817 as a pain medication, and also as a treatment for opium and alcohol addiction. It was first used as a poison in 1822 when Dr. Edme Castaing of France was convicted of murdering a patient. Commercial production began in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1827 by the pharmacy that became the pharmaceutical company Merck, with morphine sales being a large part of their early growth.
A distichia is an eyelash that arises from an abnormal part of the eyelid. This abnormality, attributed to a genetic mutation, is known to affect dogs and humans. Distichiae usually exit from the duct of the meibomian gland at the eyelid margin. They are usually multiple, and sometimes more than one arises from a duct. They can affect either the upper or lower eyelid and are usually bilateral. The lower eyelids of dogs usually have no eyelashes.Distichiae usually cause no symptoms, because the lashes are soft, but they can irritate the eye and cause tearing, squinting, inflammation, corneal ulcers and scarring. Treatment options include manual removal, electrolysis, electrocautery, CO2 laser ablation, cryotherapy, and surgery. Commonly affected breeds
In veterinary medicine, some canine breeds are affected by distichiasis more frequently than others:

Cocker Spaniel
Dachshund (especially the miniature longhaired Dachshund)
Bulldog
Pekingese
Yorkshire Terrier
Flat-Coated Retriever
Shetland Sheepdog
Boxer
Poodle

Ectopic cilia
An ectopic cilia is a special type of distichia usually found in younger dogs. Commonly affected breeds include Poodles, Golden Retrievers, and Shih Tzus. The eyelash exits through the conjunctiva of the eyelid facing toward the eye, usually at the middle of the upper eyelid. It can cause intense pain and corneal ulcers. Treatment is surgery or cryotherapy. See also
Trichiasis
Lymphedema distichiasis

References


== External links ==