JVarcotine, and Sulphate of Morphine. 49 



the more accurately to adapt our remedial agents, to the peculiar 

 circumstances of a given case. 



What quantity per centum of Narcotine is contained in Opium, I 

 know not.* As, in a given quantity, it is less active than Morphine, 

 and even less so than Opium itself, no quantity of it, however large, 

 will account for the full effects of Opium, upon the supposition that 

 we are correct as to the proportion of Morphine. But I do not es- 

 teem it by any means impossible, that the hitter "principle already re- 

 ferred to, as being called by the vague name of extractive, (if indeed 

 there is any such distinct principle,) or perhaps some other part of 

 this complex drug, may yet be found to contribute something to its 

 medicinal effects. 



RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS WITH, AND OBSERVATIONS UPON, SUL- 

 PHATE OF MORPHINE. 



The only series of experiments for the purpose of determining the 

 precise medicinal powers of Morphine, of which I have any knowl- 

 edge, are those of Dr. Bally, (of France,) and even with these, I am 

 acquainted only through what I take to be a mere summary of his re- 

 sults, abstracted from a European periodical. As far as I can ascer- 

 tain from the summary in question, Dr. Bally seems to have employ- 

 ed uncombined Morphine. My own experiments were made entire- 

 ly with the Sulphate of Morphine, and I have generally employed 

 this salt in my subsequent practice, so that my results must be under- 

 stood as having been obtained with that preparation. I am not aware 

 that there is' supposed to be any difference between the number and 

 the quality of the operations of Morphine and its salts, though there 

 may be more or less in the degree of their effects. It is my purpose 

 to refer to the conclusions of Dr. Bally, in immediate connexion with 

 my own. 



Dr. Bally says that the action of Morphine upon the system, is 

 very similar to that of Opium. This is certainly the fact with the 

 Sulphate of Morphine. Several of my professional friends, to 

 whom I have recommended the use of it, have informed me that 

 they could perceive no difference between its effects and those of 

 Opium. To this conclusion, however, I cannot entirely agree. Dr. 



* It has been said, (but upon how good authority I cannot decide,) that Opium 

 usually contains about twice as much Narcotine as Morphine. 



Vol. XXL~No. 1. 7 



