436 OPIUM BASES. 



to meconic acid (p. 430) and meconin (p. 382), six well- 

 investigated alkaloids: - 



Morphine, C 17 H 19 ^0 3 , 

 Codeine, C 18 H 21 N0 3 , 

 Thebaine, C 19 H 21 M) 3 , 

 Papavcrine, C 21 H 21 N0 4 , 

 Narcotine, C 22 H 23 N0 7 , 

 ISTarceine, C 23 II 29 N0 9 . 



In all varieties of opium, morphine and narcotine are 

 contained in the largest quantity. 



Preparation. Opium is broken up and exhausted 

 with a small quantity of water of 65 ; the extract 

 mixed with calcium chloride ; filtered from precipitated 

 calcium meconate ; the filtrate concentrated by evapo- 

 ration, and allowed to stand undisturbed for a long 

 time. Morphine and codeine hydrochlorate crystallize 

 out, and are separated from the black, treacly mother- 

 liquor by pressing. To separate the two from each 

 other, ammonia is added to their solution, which pre- 

 cipitates only the morphine, the codeine remaining in 

 the liquid. This is concentrated by evaporation, 

 when more morphine is deposited, and the codeine 

 now precipitated by an excess of concentrated caustic 

 potassa, in which any morphine, which may still be 

 present, remains dissolved. 



The mother-liquor, from morphine hydrochlorate 

 and codeine, is diluted with water ; strained through 

 a cloth ; and thoroughly precipitated with ammonia. 

 The precipitate, collected on a cloth filter, and purified 

 by repeated pressing and moistening with water, con- 

 sists essentially of narcotine with a little papaverine 

 and thebaine, and a great deal of resin. It is stirred 

 with concentrated potassa-ley, forming a paste ; after a 

 time water is added, and the deposited narcotine, after 

 being washed with water repeatedly, crystallized from 

 boiling alcohol. Papaverine and thebaine remain in 

 the mother-liquor. After distilling off the alcohol, 

 the residue is exhausted with hot dilute acetic acid, 

 and from the solution, narcotine, papaverine, and the 



