490 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



MM. Larocque and Thibierge detail also various experiments on the 

 modes of detecting opium proposed by Dr. Christison,and they mention 

 that their results differ much from his. They state that these dif- 

 ferences may arise from three causes, — 1st, the inequality of the com- 

 position of the opium of commerce ; 2ndly, the analytical process em- 

 ployed by Dr. Christison, which consisted in decomposing the meco- 

 nate of lead by sulphuretted hydrogen — this the authors show fre- 

 quently masks the meconic acid, and that it could only be detected 

 by decomposing the meconate of lead with dilute sulphuric acid ; 

 3rdly, the variable nature of the liquids with which opium is mixed. 



The authors have also, as the results of their experiments, arrived 

 at the following conclusions : — 



1st. By the aid of reagents it is possible to determine the pre. 

 sence of morphia, strychnia and brucia in substances, which,*after 

 being mixed with the salts of these alkalies, have undergone the 

 vinous, acetic or putrefactive fermentation. M. Orfila has already 

 shown that the putrefactive fermentation does not alter morphia. 



2ndly. Crystallized iodic acid, or a concentrated solution of this 

 acid, is susceptible of being decomposed by neutral azotized bodies ; 

 but a dilute solution of this acid cannot be decomposed by them un- 

 less there be added concentrated sulphuric acid, crystallizable acetic 

 acid, oxalic, citric or tartaric acid. 



3rdly. Iodic acid should not be employed as a test of morphia 

 without the greatest caution. 



4thly. Perchloride of gold produces such effects with the vegetable 

 alkalies, as serve to distinguish morphia, brucia and strychnia from 

 each other. 



5thly. The reagents on which the greatest reliance may be placed 

 as tests of morphia are, nitric acid, neutral perchloride of iron, and 

 perchloride of gold. 



6thly. By the use of reagents, morphia which has been mixed with 

 beer, soup or milk may be detected. 



7thly. It is also easy to prove by reagents the presence of meconic 

 acid in soup or milk, especially when the meconate of lead is decom- 

 posed by dilute sulphuric acid. — Journal de Chimie Medicate, Octo- 

 bre 1842. 



NON-DECOMPOSITION OF VEGETABLE ALKALIES BY EXPOSURE 

 TO FERMENTING BODIES. 



It appeared to MM. Larocque and Thibierge a subject of some 

 interest to determine by experiment, whether the vegetable alkalies 

 suffered decomposition when in contact with fermenting substances. 

 It had, indeed, been] proved by Orfila and Lesueur that acetate of 

 morphia suffered no change discoverable by reagents, under these 

 circumstances ; and M. Merck detected strychnia, morphia and 

 brucia after they had been exposed to fermenting animal and ve- 

 getable matters during twenty days. 



The following experiments were made by MM. Larocque and 

 Thibierge: — 



