Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 219 



was held in solution. This formation of hydriodic acid is remarkable, 

 and does not occur with the other vegetable alkalis. 



A mixture of equal parts of iodine and morphia totally dissolved 

 in boiling alcohol. The solution was acid, and yielded by sponta- 

 neous evaporation a red brown substance as the alcohol was dissi- 

 pated. There remained, at length, an aqueous, slightly coloured 

 liquor, which when poured off and set to evaporate in another vessel, 

 yielded crystals of hydriodate of morphia deeply coloured with 

 iodine. Various means were tried to determine the nature of the 

 red brown substance, but it never yielded morphia when a sufficient 

 quantity of iodine had been employed. When treated with sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen in order to convert the iodine into hydriodic 

 acid, and obtain an hydriodate from which the morphia or the sub- 

 stance which replaced it might be separated, ammonia, added to 

 the clear and colourless solution, rendered it immediately of a dirty 

 red colour. The precipitate formed was exceedingly light, not at 

 all corresponding to the quantity of morphia employed, and con- 

 tained no trace of it ; but the solution contained an organic matter. 



If instead of treating the solution with an alkali, it be concen- 

 trated with heat and the sulphuretted hydrogen expelled, a brown 

 substance, similar to that subjected to the action of the sulphu- 

 retted hydrogen, is reproduced. It appears therefore that by the 

 combined agency of air, heat, and the organic matter, the hy- 

 driodic acid returns to the state of iodine in order to combine with 

 this matter (the altered morphia) and to precipitate again with it. 



Hydriodate of morphia may be prepared by direct action, and 

 when chlorine is passed into a solution of it, not in excess, a very 

 light and bulky precipitate of a reddish colour is immediately ob- 

 tained ; in a few seconds, however, the precipitate becomes black, 

 diminishes considerably in volume, and iodine separates in abun- 

 dance, as proved by its colour and smell. The filtered solution is 

 colourless; but by evaporation it becomes yellow, and hydrochloric 

 acid is disengaged. If ammonia be added to it, an extremely light 

 precipitate is obtained which contains no trace of morphia. The 

 organic matter remains in the liquor, which becomes of a red brown 

 by exposure to the air. The action of iodine upon morphia is not 

 prevented by an acid ; thus when sulphate of morphia is treated with 

 iodine, sulphuric acid is set free, and the reddish brown matter 

 already described is formed. 



After various attempts no definite or permanent compound of 

 iodine and morphia was obtained, on account of the separation of 

 the hydrogen of the alkali. 



Iodic Acid and Morphia. — It has been shown by Serullas that 

 iodic acid, which combines with other organic salifiable bases, acts 

 upon the elements of morphia and its salts ; that at the moment of 

 contact the mixture became yellowish brown, that iodine was set 

 free, as evinced by its odour and action upon starch ; two substances 

 are formed : one of a rose colour and soluble in water, and the other 

 yellowish brown and but slightly soluble. Serullas does not state 

 the nature of the former, but the latter he considers as a compound 



2 F 2 



