meaning of "crank up" or "cranked it up"

[kjc0123]

What is the meaning of "crank up" or "cranked it up" in the following sentences?

 

1. As the shock began to fade, the questions took over. How long had he been dead? Did the cancer get him or did the old man just crank up the morphine?

2. "How long has he been dead?" he mumbled. His voice was hoarse and strained.  "I don't know. Couple of hours."  "What's that?"  "A morphine pack."  "You think he cranked it up a little too much?"

[Fibonacci]

look at the follwoing link http://www.thefreedictionary.com/crank

[Clanad]

A list of definitions for the word crank, include "to move as if by turning a handle."  The word picture in your phrase is one of turning a handle to intensify the flow of morphine. Further, the word originates from the Old English cranc, meaning, a device for transmitting rotary motion.  One is said to "crank up a window" for example, when turning a handle to close a car side window. Which, in today's jargon is rapidly becoming archaic with the predominance of electrically operated automobile windows...