PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 85 
specimens have been obtained, in most cases, as it is not our 
object to sit as inquisitors on our pharmaceutical brethren, though 
in one or two instances, where we have nothing but good to say, 
we may, without offence, break this rule. 
Tincture yields, on evaporation, crystals of almost the whole of 
the opium principles, and we find that, as the spirit volatilizes, 
the resin is also precipitated in an insoluble form. Our own 
preparation, from different samples of good opium, is tolerably 
constant, and agrees in appearance with a specimen procured from 
a manufacturing house of some standing; but neither are quite so 
rich in crystalline principles as a sample furnished to us by our 
friend Mr. Morson, which seems to have been prepared from 
peculiarly fine opium. 
Extract shows a much smaller proportion of narcotine crystals, 
with abundance of morphia salts and tufts of narceine. Turkey 
opium is not rich in codeine, and we suppose that in extract pre- 
pared from it this principle is retained diffused through the bitter 
matter. A specimen of commercial extract of opium which we 
have seen, recently imported from the East, is a very different 
substance, showing fewer morphine crystals, but a large proportion 
of codeine. 
Wine.—The mucilaginous matter of wine very much retards, if 
it does not entirely prevent, the formation of crystals upon evapo- 
ration, and consequently we can say but little respecting the 
appearance presented by the extract obtained from vinous solu- 
tions. 
Liquor Opti Sedativus—The striking appearance resulting 
from the evaporation of Battley’s Sedative first drew our attention 
to the mode of investigation now described. We have examined 
it frequently, and always have met with the same characters. 
The slides present an almost opaque mass of crystals of morphine 
salts and codeine, with a very small proportion of narcotine (and 
meconine acid P), and, so far as we have observed, complete absence 
of resinous matter and narceine. Any one who has studied the 
microscopic characters of this preparation will readily understand 
how it has kept its piace with the profession in spite of the cheap 
imitations which have been so largely puffed as substitutes for it. 
We have necessarily thought much as to its probable mode of 
preparation, and cannot see any reason to doubt the statement 
made by Dr. Pereira, on the authority of the late Mr. Battley 
himself, that spirit and water were the only materials used in its 
preparation from Turkey opium. Dr. Christison discredits the 
statement, on the ground of the comparative absence of meconic 
acid ; but, as we have before said, boiling water is sufficient to 
dec compose that acid, and therefore the ar reument is not a valid 
one. Though we have experimented much with a view to pre- 
paring a similar liquor, we have not yet arrived at an identical 
result. Itis perhaps only justice to say that the preparation 
which gives results most nearly like Battley’s of any which we 
