I am currently reading The Ionian Mission by Patrick O'Brian. This book is part of what's known as the Aubrey/Maturin series. The movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey and Paul Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin) was based on this series of books.

I was just reading passage where Maturin is talking about the current mood of one of the officers on the ship. He said he would give some drops of the "tincture of laudanum" (opium) and the office should be in a better mood the next day. "...otherwise it must be the blue pill for him." I know, I know. I'm all about the very obscure references.