Laudanum secretions ... to support the system ... [and] as a soporific". The limited pharmacopoeia of the day meant that opium derivatives were among the most effective of available treatments, so laudanum was widely prescribed for ailments from colds to meningitis to cardiac diseases, in both adults and children. Laudanum was used during the yellow fever epidemic. Innumerable Victorian women were prescribed the drug for relief of menstrual cramps and vague aches. Nurses also spoon-fed laudanum to infants. The Romantic and Victorian eras were marked by the widespread use of laudanum in Europe and the United States. Mary Todd Lincoln, for
New Looks from an Old Lover New Looks from an Old Lover "New Looks From An Old Lover" is a song recorded by American country music artist B.J. Thomas. It was released in July 1983 as the second single from the album "New Looks". "New Looks From An Old Lover" was B.J. Thomas' third number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the country chart. It was Thomas' final number one hit on the U.S. charts. The song was written by Thomas' wife Gloria, along with Red Lane and Lathan Hudson.