In the Arms of Morpheus: The Tragic History of Laudanum, Morphine, and Patent Medicines

by Barbara Hodgson

The follow-up to the widely praised Opium, In The Arms of Morpheus is the shocking story of how a simple but bewitching substance, touted as a miracle drug, enslaved unwitting generations of 19th century writers, artists and ordinary citizens. Extracted from opium, the sap of the poppy, this popular drug was welcomed into the homes of rich and poor alike, in the guise of medicinal uses in the form of laudanum and opium elixirs, and as pure, undisguised morphine.

Laudanum contained opium, saffron, cinnamon and alcohol. In the spirit of 19th century progress, other opium concoctions were created and a whole industry in quackery erupted. In both Britain and North America, opium was mixed with everything imaginable: mercury, hashish, cayenne pepper, ether, chloroform, belladonna and whisky, sherry, wine and brandy.

In the Arms of Morpheus examines how the drinking of laudanum for medical reasons developed and how it became an everyday safeguard against pain, poverty, and boredom. Opium eating was catapulted into fame by the confessions of Thomas De Quincy and insinuated itself into the lives and works of writers such as Louisa May Alcott, Lord Byron, Shelley, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, John Keats, the Brontes, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and many others.

Thoroughly researched and copiously illustrated with photographs, engravings, advertisements, movie stills, pulp magazine and dime novel covers and paraphernalia, In the Arms of Morpheus continues the history of opium's emergence as an omnipresent and sometimes devastating influence.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science, Medical, Art, Medicine, Historical

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2001

About the author

Barbara Hodgson is a book designer with a degree in archeology and a diploma in graphic design. She began her career in book design by working for Douglas & McIntyre, moving from freelance designer to art director prior to taking on freelance work for other publishers and ultimately forming the book-packaging company Byzantium Books with Nick Bantock in 1993.

Designing books led to writing books: Hodgson is the author of No Place for a Lady, Dreaming of East, and Italy Out of Hand, all published by Greystone Books, and several other highly praised non-fiction books. She is also the author of four acclaimed illustrated novels Lives of Shadows, Hippolyte’s Island, The Sensualist, and The Tattooed Map.

Hodgson’s books are unique in that they combine her writing with a multitude of illustrations of various types drawn from a wide range of sources, including engravings, lithographs, photographs, stereo-cards, postcards, movie stills, and pulp magazine and novel covers. These days, the flea market is the consummate collector’s primary source of research and inspiration.

Barbara Hodgson lives in Vancouver.

Reviews

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Look, this is a very well researched and very interesting introduction to the use of opium and its derivatives as medicine from its introduction to Europe until the early twentieth century. But at the same time? It drove me ABSOLUTELY BONKERS because the layout was just bizarre from start to finish. There were little quotes on the inside edges of each page, next to the text, which was ridiculously distracting. There were images all over the place, and captions for those images and half the time? The actual text got lost in all the clutter. And when the text wasn't getting lost, it was hard to focus on because there were so many other things to look at on the page. So yeah. It would have been a 4 star book, but the layout was so distracting that I had to knock off half a star.

[Christina Gagliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you currently are not or never have been addicted to laudanum, morphine, and/or patent medicines but you need/want to know the symptoms and scope of the problem, this book is for you! I thoroughly enjoyed it, actually, especially the ads and old film stills.

[Steven Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the history of opium and morphine, and the book had lots of illustrations, and documented the use of these drugs in a thorough manner, telling me a lot about opium and morphine use I didn't know. It did get to be a bit 'and so-and-so took opium, as well as so-and-so, and also…' kind of a celebrity drug use of the Victorian age. Also, listing the fictional uses of laudanum was good, but Hodgson left out Charles Brockden Brown's Ormond (1799), where the title character's mistress, being rejected by him, o.d.s on laudanum. The first description of drug use in American fiction, and Hodgson shouldn't have missed it.

The elevation of narcotics to their 19th century acceptance to being banned by the 1920's is exceptionally interesting.

It's more of a coffee table book then an in-depth study, but I enjoyed reading it.

[William Schram · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Arms of Morpheus is a book exploring the history and impact of Morphine. I don't do drugs and have never done so in the first place. I don't even smoke. Why am I interested in the subject, then? Well, with the opioid crisis and all of the events swirling around that, I thought it would be interesting to read.

Although I said the book focuses on Morphine, that is not correct. It covers all opium-derived substances. It has sections on laudanum, opium, Morphine, and heroin. Barbara Hodgson does a fantastic job explaining how all these substances affected people in the nineteenth century. The publication date for the book is 2001.

I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.

[LOVEROFBOOKS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with lots of photos and descriptions. Really covers everything I needed to know about Opium and it's related drugs. Where it started, how it spread, The Opium Wars, etc...

It also goes over the propaganda, the movies and books written about it. I loved the part on poets and politicians who used either morphine or opium. Many tragic stories here, and how they easily got so addicted in the first place.

I enjoyed this book slightly more than the author's other one titled "Opium".

[Clementine Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invaluable resource for writers of the Victorian period of American history. Opium/laudanum/morphine/patent medicines were readily available during the time period that I write about in my Western Historical Romances, and I have utilized the information in this book to great effect. Covered topics include: contemporary commercial products containing these drugs, their physical effects as related from primary sources, withdrawal and recovery and more. The book is also beautifully illustrated with advertisements, artwork, and magazine covers of the day. Fantastic book.

[Adrienne Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Barbara Hodgson makes such beautiful books about such tragic subjects. Though petite in size her books about addiction offer the reader a lot to contemplate. The book design is lovely as well.

[Natalie Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look into the past, but be prepared to Google a lot while reading, unless you're familiar with things like guaiac and plague water.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only real value I found in this book were the numerous color plates of advertisements, and movie posters that featured morphine as a direct ingredient. Otherwise, I wouldn't call this book "informative" by any means in regards to how "patent medicines" came to be or how they were eventually outlawed. Hodgson makes reference to another book she's written on the subject, giving the reader the distinct idea that you were supposed to have read that one first, and then read this one. Realistically, this book spends more time on authors that were addicted to morphine than anything else.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Arms of Morpheus: The Tragic History of Laudanum, Morphine, and Patent Medicines by Barbara Hodgson (Firefly Books 2001) (362.293) is a beautiful little book about the historical place of the various opiate drugs in American society from 1880 to the present day. My rating: 7//10, finished 2/12/14.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is filled with fantastic pictures and images from syringe kits to movie stills and everything in between. The overall content is somewhat lacking but if you're looking for a brief introduction to the history of opium and its many different forms this is a great place to start.

[quasialidia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have given it a higher rating but the broken up textual body with quotes, pictures and asided was very annoying. It was well researched though and not boring. A great introduction which has made me want to her Hodgson's other book on opium.

[Zoë Birss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brief yet broad introduction to the history of opium and its derivatives is a quick read with beautiful illustrations composed of movie still, posters, old advertisements, photographs, paintings, and engravings.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an account of the easily available narcotics at the turn of the century and how they became illegal.