CRUDE DRUGS. 659 



Morphine occurs in rhombic prisms or fine needles, which 

 are nearly insoluble in water or oil of anise, and sparingly soluble 

 in alcohol, and it forms crystallizable salts which are readily solu- 

 ble in water, the solutions being laevorotatory. On the addition of 

 morphine to concentrated sulphuric acid containing a little potas- 

 sium dichromate, little or no change is produced at first, but the 

 solution later becomes of a green color. On the addition first of 

 some cane sugar to morphine and then of concentrated sulphuric 

 acid and a little bromine water, the solution becomes purplish-red, 

 changing to violet-blue, blue-green and finally a dingy yellow. 

 Morphine gives a blue color with dilute solutions of ferric chlor- 

 ide, which is destroyed on heating, and it gives an orange or red- 

 dish color with nitric acid. On heating morphine in a sealed 

 tube with hydrochloric acid a new salt is formed, known as apo- 

 MORPHiNE hydrochloride. The latter occurs in minute, nearly 

 colorless, monoclinic prisms, which become greenish on exposure 

 to air and moisture ; and the solutions are colored reddish on the 

 addition of dilute solutions of ferric chloride. Pseudomorphine 

 is a crystalline compound that is formed on heating alkaline solu- 

 tions of morphine with oxidizing agents. It is insoluble in water, 

 alcohol or even dilute sulphuric acid, but is readily soluble in a 

 solution of potassium hydrate (Fig. 338). 



Codeine (or methyl morphine) occurs in opium to the extent 

 of 0.5 to 2 per cent. It forms translucent, octahedral crystals or 

 rhombic prisms, which are soluble in alcohol and oil of anise; 

 somewhat soluble in water, and readily forms crystallizable salts. 

 On heating codeine with concentrated sulphuric acid the solution 

 is colored blue. On the addition of concentrated sulphuric acid 

 containing traces of iron or nitric acid to .codeine the solution 

 becomes green, changing to blue, a blue precipitate finally separat- 

 ing. Dilute solutions of ferric chloride give a blue color with 

 codeine, which is permanent if the solution be gently warmed. 

 Codeine crystals are colored red with nitric acid, the solution 

 remaining colorless or only becoming yellow on heating. On 

 heating a solution of codeine hydrochloride in an autoclave with 

 zinc chloride, an amorphous, yellowish-gray powder is formed, 

 known as apocodeine hydrochloride, and having the same physio- 

 logical action as apomorphine hydrochloride (Figs. 332, 333). 



