History
Morphine has been used in the form of opium for centuries. It is unknown exactly who, when, or where opium was first used or discovered, but the date can be narrowed to around 4000 BC. It was used to relieve anxiety and pain. It was also used to induce sleep and give a feeling of well being and peace. The first recorded use of opium for medical purposes was in 200 BC.
In the 16th century, a Swiss physician name Paracelcus experimented with the medical value of opium. He decided that its medical value was of such magnitude, that he called it Laudanum. Laudanum comes from the Latin word "laudare". Laudare means "to praise". He did not know of its addictive properties.
1803 can be seen as the true "birth date" or discovery date of Morphine. In 1803, Serturner, a German pharmacist, identified and isolated the main ingredient of opium, Morphine. He called this alkaloid "Morphia" after Morpheus, the Greek God of Dreams. The name "Morphine" is now used instead of Morphia because of the standard that all alkaloids end in "-ine".