29. 
action, somewhat like the action of strychnine ; apomorphine in doses 
of less than half a grain produced vomiting, without previous nausea, 
in ten or twelve minutes. The greater number though of the alkaloids 
possessed the narcotic principles of morphine in a less degree : thus, 
if the power of morphine was called 4, that of meconine and narcine 
would be 24, codeine 1, cryptopine (a rare alkaloid) 5. 
These facts had led to the use of various solutions of opium and 
its alkaloids, from which certain other alkaloids had been excluded. 
Some of these solutions, whose preparation was a secret, possessed 
peculiar virtues. If these preparations were evaporated on a glass 
slide, the microscope would reveal the peculiar crystals, so that the 
alkaloids being recognised the Pharmaceutist studying the solubilities 
of various alkaloids in different menstrua, might construct a formula 
which would produce a similar solution. 
The per centages of the different alkaloids in Turkey Opium had 
been given as Morphine, 10’0; Narcotine, 60 ; Thebanine, ‘15 ; Papa- 
verine, 1:0; Meconine, ‘or ; Codeine, ‘oz ; Narceine, ‘o2 ; Meconic 
Acid, 40 ; Thebolactic Acid, 1°25. 
As about 1o-11ths of the narcotic power of all the alkaloids was 
due to morphine alone, theoretically, grain of morphine equalled 10 
grains of crude opium, though practically this was not the case. Some 
considered there was a narcotic power in the uncrystallizable matter, 
and others that the alkaloids acted better when in combination with 
their natural acids. Very careful examination had shown morphine 
free and in combination with sulphuric and meconic acid ; now as 
opium in its collection and preparation underwent rough treatment, 
and meconic acid was so unstable as to be decomposed by boiling 
water, the free morphine and sulphate of morphine might have been 
produced by the decomposition of meconate of morphine or a com- 
bination of morphine with some more unstable acid. A microscopic 
examination of fresh juice might solve the question. 
ty . 
Mr. GLAISYER having kindly procured him thebaine, papaverine, 
meconine, and sulphate of morphine, from which he had obtained very 
characteristic crystals,as well as from meconic acid,narcotine, morphine, 
codeine, and some of the preparations of opium, these would be 
exhibited under the microscope. 
Narcotine, meconic acid, thebaine, and thick crystals of morphine 
