1824.] On Mr. Batt ley' 's Method of preparing Morphia. 343 



zable, but are more difficultly soluble than those of oxide of 

 uranium. 



The occasional differences observable between the preceding 

 and Gay-Lussac and Thenard's descriptions arise principally 

 from these chemists having formed some of their fluates by 

 double decomposition, by which they obtained double in place 

 of simple salts. 



(To he continued.) 



Article V. 



Remarks on Mr. Battley's Method of preparing Morphia. 

 By W. A. South, Esq. 



(To the Editors of the Annals of Philosophy.) 

 GENTLEMEN, Aug. 10, 1824. 



In the Medico-Chirurgical Review for last June, I find a 

 paper from Mr. Battley, professing to show " the constituents 

 of opium." Mr. Battley states that "twenty-six pounds (avoir- 

 dupois) of dry opium imparted to distilled water twenty-three 

 pounds " (rather more than usual, I think), " leaving a residuum 

 weighing three pounds when dried ; this residuum, or refuse, I 

 apprehend to contain the morphium, and to the exposition of this 

 fact my present and immediate purpose is confined." The fair 

 inference to be drawn from this statement, the definite article the 

 being used, I conceive to be, that the morphium is contained in 

 the residue alone. How far this assertion is correct I will leave 

 those to determine who have obtained morphia from the for- 

 mulae of R.obiquet, Choulant, Thomson, and others, when the 

 aqueous infusion alone was ordered, and from which it would 

 appear they were successful in obtaining the desired salt. That 

 Mr. Battley might obtain morphia from the residuum of the 

 opium after it had been submitted to the usual processes given 

 for that purpose, I am perfectly aware, and as far as I can judge, 

 he might have added, in a greater state of purity. 



" The residuum of three pounds having been macerated in 

 acetic acid produced, on the addition of ammonia in excess, a 

 precipitate amounting to 38 drams 20 grains when dried, from 

 which Mr. B. obtained morphia at the rate of 29 grains per 

 dram. Mr. B. then " proceeds to show a similar result from 

 the residual matter of tincture of opium, tincture bottoms." 

 This appears to be at the rate of 28 grains per dram of precipi- 

 tate. So far Mr. B. seems to have been particularly fortunate, 

 in showing " a similar result ;" but coupling it with the con- 

 eluding paragraph of his paper, viz. " I must not now conclude, 

 without stating that laudanum, tincture of opium, does not con- 



