Dr. Hare’s Denareotised Laudanun. BO} 
quantity is small, may require from six to twelve hours, and 
may be facilitated by a very gentle stirring with a glass rod, 
to detach the flocks from the sides of the recipient, which should 
be conical, so as to concentrate them during their descent. 
he meconate being thus collected at the bottom of the 
vessel, let about thirty drops of sulphuric acid be poured 
down on it by means of a glass tube. Let this be followed 
by as much of the red sulphate of iron. The sulphuric acid 
liberates the meconic acid, and thus enables it to produce, 
with the iron, the appropriate colour which demonstrates the 
presence of that acid, and consequently of opium. 
Art. XIL.—WMethod of preparing Denarcotised Luudanum ; 
by Ropert Hare, M. D. &e: 
AGREEABLY to the observations of the French chemists 
and physicians, the unpleasant effects of opium reside in 
principle called narcotine, and RospiqueT has informe us, 
ether, of the specific gravity of .735, as would cover it, al- 
lowing each portion to act upon it for about twenty-four 
The opium was afterwards subjected to as much duly dix 
luted alcohol as would have been adequate to convert it into 
laudanum of the common kind, had it not been subjected to 
the ether. Inthe ether which had been digested on the opium, 
a deposition of cryst ine matter soon commenced. he 
of the liquid evaporated spontaneously, leaving much crys- 
talline matter mixed with colouring matter. The former is, 
no doubt, the principle distinguished by Robiquet, since call- 
ed narcotine. 
