116 VETEEINAEY TOXICOLOGY 



excitement cold applications to the head. The stimulant 

 action of small doses of atropine seems useful. Potassium 

 permanganate, slightly acidified, is valuable to destroy 

 unabsorbed morphine. 



Chemical Diagrnosis. — Morphine is separated in the 

 course of the alkaloid research by means of amyl alcohol 

 extraction from an ammoniacal solution. Morphine pos- 

 sesses many reactions, few of which have any value in 

 practical toxicology. Ferric chloride gives a purple colour 

 with solutions of morphine, but the test is not delicate, a 

 fair amount of morphine being needed. Many of the 

 reactions are reduction processes, and therefore most 

 unreliable, if not absolutely misleading. A good test is 

 that of Pellagri, which depends on the formation of apo- 

 morphine, and is thoroughly diagnostic. The suspected 

 residue is warmed with concentrated hydrochloric acid 

 and a few drops of sulphuric acid until heavy fumes 

 begin to be evolved, cooled, diluted and neutralised with 

 sodium bicarbonate. The solution is usually pale pink 

 at this stage. Solution of iodine is added very slowly 

 in small quantities, when an emerald green colour 

 develops. On shaking with ether, two layers form, the 

 lower aqueous layer is green, and the upper ethereal 

 layer red. 



Several experiments have been made at the Eoyal 

 Veterinary College to test the reliability of the methods of 

 extraction and recognition of morphine. A pony had 

 15 grains morphine in ball, and was killed after four and a 

 half hours. The urine was tested and gave a good reaction 

 for morphine by Pellagri's test. Another animal was killed 

 three days after receiving 60 grains, and on analysis gave 

 no reaction from ingesta, and doubtful tests from faeces 

 and urine. No Pellagri test was got in extracts from the 

 lungs, liver, and stomach of a dog which had had 15 grains 

 of morphine acetate subcutaneously. 



In opium the alkaloids are combined with meconic acid, 

 which is separated in the routine process, and gives a dark 

 red colour with ferric chloride, stable to acids. The 



