110 APPENDIX. 
Indian Opiu 
In regard to opium, it has ay boan suggested that India 
might be made the source of supply in place of Turkey. In a paper 
read at the Conference Meeting at Cardiff, Mr. E. M. Holmes 
expressed the opinion that there is no reason why India, instead of 
Turkey, should not supply the whole world with medicinal opium. 
This assumption appears to be rather premature and scarcely to be 
warranted by such knowledge as we possess of Indian opium. There 
seem to be several questions to be solved before the substitution of 
Indian for Turkey opium can be looked upon as feasible. 
In the first place, it is necessary to ascertain whether opium can 
be produced in India of a quality equal to that of Turkey opium. 
Dr. Warden’s statement that native opium is used for medicinal pur- 
poses in India does not sufficiently settle that point, but as he has 
sent over a sample of the Patna opium issued by the Medical Store 
Department of Bengal for medicinal use, we have examined it wit 
a view to ascertaining the amount of morphine it contains and its 
applicability for pharmaceutical purposes. 
e sample sent by Dr. Warden was in the state of powder, and 
as received it contained 3°2 per cent. of moisture. In the dried 
opium the amount of morphine was found to be 8°55 per cent. 
A tincture was made with the dried opium, according to the 
directions of the British Pharmacopeia, and on examination it was 
found to yield on evaporation to dryness a residue of extract 
amounting to 21-3 grains per fluid ounce. The amount of morphine 
contained in the tincture was 2°74 grains per fluid ounce. 
For the sake of comparison, another tincture was prepared with a 
good sample of Turkey opium that was found to contain, in the dry 
state, 10-84 per cent. of morphine, The extract yielded by this tinc- 
ture onevaporation amounted to19°8 grains per fluid ounce. The 
amount of morphine in it was 3-4 grains per fluid ounce. 
It may be pointed out that in both the abovementioned instances 
the extraction of morphine from the opium in making the tinctures 
by the method of the British Pharmacopcia was practically com- 
plete, as will be seen from the following esis of the quantities 
of morphine actually found by experime 
Fo ound. Calculated. 
Grs, per fid. oz. Gre. pe a. oz. 
Indian a tincture... yi 2°74 2°80 
Turkey ” wes owe 3°40 3°55 
