March, 1918 C. U. C. P. ALUMNI JOURNAL 43 



rite, of about the strens^th of Dakin's solution, (practically 0.50 per cent.), is 

 treated with 0.05 gramme of brucine hydrochloride or sulphate, and 5 drops of 

 dihited hydrochloric acid. Upon boiling the color changes to cherry-red. The 

 addition of another 10 mils of diluted hydrochloric acid, and continued boiling 

 produces no change in the color. Contrary to this, a solution of potassium chlorate, 

 of the same concentration, treated with a like quantity of the same reagents, shows 

 no color change in the cold. Upon boiling, the solution becomes yellow, and if 

 the boiling be prolonged, it turns cherry-red. The addition of further diluted 

 hydrochloric acid (10 mils), and continued boiling causes a discharge of the color. 

 This discharge of color after addition of much acid and continued boiling, is 

 characteristic of the presence of chlorates. The test may be demonstrated upon 

 a solution containing in 5 mils, 0.04 gramme of sodium hyposchlorite and 0.02 

 granmie of potassium chlorate, and treated as above. 



Colorimetric Methods for Morphine 



A. Heiduschka and M. Paul, in Arch. Pharm., igiy, 255, describe several 

 methods for the colorimetric estimation of minute quantities of morphine. The 

 methods especially studied are, ist. the Georges and Gascard iodic acid method, 

 and 2nd. the Marquis method. The authors employ a modification of the first 

 method in that they do not employ the Duboscq colorimeter, but prepare a scale 

 of colors in concentrations as low as I in 10,000. The solutions are prepared by 

 diluting a faintly acid solution of morphine in N/io hydrochloric acid. The test 

 is applied by treating equal volumes of these dilutions (10 mils) with 5 mils of a 

 5 per cent, solution of iodic acid, and examining the yellow coloration after the 

 lapse of one-half minute. The authors state that the variations in color are more 

 pronounced in the more dilute solutions. For the quantitative determination of 

 morphine the method is only available for dilutions between 1 in 1500 and i in 

 5500. The presence of morphine may, however, be detected in dilutions of i in 

 12,500. It is claimed by the authors that the method is rendered more sensitive 

 if I mil of 10 per cent, ammonia is added to the mi.xture, about 5 minutes after 

 the iodic acid is added, and that under such circumstances morphine may be 

 detected in dilutions of i in 18,500, and estimated in dilutions of i in 5,000 to i 

 in 16.500. In estimating morphine by means of Marquis' reagent, one mil of 

 the dilution (same as in other method) is evaporated on the water bath, in a 

 small dish, and the residue obtained treated with i mil of Marquis' reagent (3 

 mils of concentrated sulphuric acid to which 2 to 3 drops of 40 per cent, formal- 

 dehyde solution have been added). The resulting violet mixture is washed into 

 the tube used for comparison by means of 4 mils of sulphuric acid. The compar- 

 ison of colors must be made by transmitted light, the results obtained by reflected 

 light being entirely untrustworthy. In this matter morphine in dilutions of i in 

 1,400 to I in 14,000 may be made. Fully ripe poppy capsules, when subjected to 

 tests by these methods, were found to show the presence of from 0.017 to 0.088 

 per cent, of morphine. 



