The fatigue of my body from not having slept on the former night, co-operating with the strong opiates administered to me in profusion, at length procured me that repose of which I was so much in need.
The most popular potion among the wealthy was theriac, which apparently was very difficult to prepare and had up to 80 ingredients, including quite a lot of opium.
The largesse resembles that of the Sackler family, whose company, Purdue Pharma, has done much to fuel the present century's epidemic of opioids (a class of painkillers that can be derived from or simulate opium).
" Cities that are now pillars of the modern globalised economy-Mumbai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai-were initially sustained by opium, " writes Mr Ghosh.
As Mr Ghosh marvels at opium's ability " to spin off new and more potent versions of itself" , including its synthetic analogue, fentanyl, his emphasis on the drug's degree of agency can feel exaggerated.