NARCOTINE. 155 | 
ought to recommend it to medical men, as preferable to the tincture of opium: 
which contains narcotine in abundance, on account of its being a spirituous 
solution.”* We have ourselves known many persons who could not use any 
other preparation of opium but the watery extract; this new preparation of 
opium, therefore, deserves the attention of physicians. 
MORPHINE. 
This substance does not exist in opium in its pure alkaline state, but 
united to an acid, to which the name of meconic acid has been given. Ac- 
cording to M. Brande, the ultimate elements contained in pure morphine 
are— . 
CATO... 6: das <a es es 
Wisouth os Was ee. OOO 
TA art a it co + ce +, 5,50 
OMRCOR 55 ces es eee NT 
100 
Mr. Bussy, chemical operator at L’Ecole de Pharmacie, has also found it 
to contain a small quantity of azote, about one-twentieth. M. Robiquet ad- 
opted the following method for obtaining morphine :—he boiled a very con- 
centrated solution of opium for fifteen minutes with a small quantity of mag- 
nesia, in the proportion of ten grains of the latter to one pound of the for- 
mer. ‘The greyish deposit produced by this operation, he collected on a fil- 
ter, and washed it with cold water. When this precipitate was well dried, 
he heated it for some time with weak alcohol, at a temperature below boiling. 
By this process, he- separated much of the colouring matter, and a very little 
morphine. The precipitate he then filtered, and washed by means ofa little 
alcohol ; after which it was strongly boiled in a large quantity of the same 
* This extract, however, contains some of Derosne’s salt also, or narcotine, as it is 
called; and this is supposed to produce the excitement, which even the aqueous extract 
‘ons to its sedative effect. M. Robiquet (Journal de Pharmacie, May, 1821) 
of this principle, by agitating the extract as soon as it acquires the con- 
sistence of syrup, with ether, and repeating this agitation with fresh portions of ether, as 
long as the extract on distillation deposits any crystals of narcotine. The extract thus 
prepared, contains only morphia, gum, and extractive. 
> & 
