A Great Medical Advancement

Morphine

• Strong painkiller
• An opiate derived from the opium poppy
• First discovered in 1804

use in medicine

• Used to treat severe pain
• Patients used to undergo surgery without painkillers
• Surgery is no longer a painful experience
• Used when women are in labour

Can be used for acute and chronic pain. Often patients with chronic pain can be maintained on a stable dose for many years. This makes their lives much easier.

Morphine has improved countless lives since it was discovered and continues to do so today. This is why I think it is a great medical advancement.