﻿CRYSTALLINE 
  CONSTITUENTS 
  OF 
  OPIUM. 
  357 
  

  

  Some 
  difficulty 
  was 
  at 
  first 
  experienced 
  in 
  the 
  determination 
  of 
  the 
  atomic 
  

   weight 
  of 
  thebaine 
  by 
  the 
  analysis 
  of 
  its 
  platinum 
  salt, 
  until 
  it 
  was 
  ascertained 
  

   that 
  that 
  salt, 
  when 
  dried 
  at 
  212°, 
  retains 
  two 
  equivalents 
  of 
  water. 
  The 
  mean 
  of 
  

   three 
  determinations 
  of 
  platinum 
  gave 
  18-70 
  per 
  cent, 
  of 
  the 
  metal, 
  and 
  the 
  calcu- 
  

   lated 
  result 
  for 
  the 
  formula, 
  

  

  C 
  38 
  H 
  21 
  N0 
  6 
  , 
  IT 
  CI, 
  Pt 
  Cl 
  2 
  + 
  2 
  HO 
  

  

  is 
  18*44. 
  These 
  results 
  were 
  also 
  confirmed 
  by 
  the 
  analysis 
  of 
  the 
  hydrochlorate, 
  

   of 
  which 
  the 
  details 
  will 
  be 
  given 
  in 
  their 
  proper 
  place. 
  

  

  Properties 
  of 
  Thebaine. 
  

  

  Thebaine 
  crystallises 
  from 
  its 
  alcoholic 
  or 
  ethereal 
  solution 
  in 
  brilliant 
  square 
  

   plates 
  with 
  a 
  silvery 
  lustre. 
  It 
  is 
  insoluble 
  in 
  water, 
  but 
  very 
  soluble 
  in 
  alcohol 
  

   and 
  ether, 
  especially 
  on 
  boiling. 
  It 
  dissolves 
  readily 
  in 
  acids, 
  and 
  forms 
  salts 
  which 
  

   are 
  not 
  obtained 
  in 
  crystals 
  from 
  aqueous 
  solutions. 
  It 
  is 
  insoluble 
  in 
  potash 
  and 
  

   ammonia. 
  Strong 
  sulphuric 
  acid 
  reacts 
  upon 
  it, 
  and 
  produces 
  a 
  deep-red 
  colour, 
  

   even 
  when 
  it 
  is 
  free 
  from 
  nitric 
  acid. 
  Concentrated 
  nitric 
  acid 
  acts 
  violently 
  in 
  

   the 
  cold, 
  with 
  copious 
  evolutions 
  of 
  red 
  fumes, 
  and 
  formation 
  of 
  a 
  yellow 
  solution, 
  

   which 
  becomes 
  dark 
  coloured 
  on 
  the 
  addition 
  of 
  potash, 
  and 
  evolves 
  a 
  volatile 
  

   base. 
  In 
  lrydrochloric 
  acid 
  it 
  dissolves 
  readily, 
  and 
  the 
  solution 
  on 
  evaporation 
  

   becomes 
  dark 
  coloured, 
  and 
  leaves 
  behind 
  a 
  resinous 
  matter, 
  which 
  does 
  not 
  dis- 
  

   solve 
  completely 
  in 
  water. 
  Sulphuric 
  acid, 
  of 
  specific 
  gravity 
  1*300, 
  dissolves 
  it 
  in 
  

   the 
  cold 
  ; 
  and 
  on 
  gently 
  heating 
  a 
  resinous 
  or 
  semisolid 
  matter 
  is 
  thrown 
  down, 
  

   which, 
  on 
  boiling 
  with 
  water, 
  slowly 
  dissolves, 
  and 
  deposits, 
  on 
  cooling, 
  a 
  rather 
  

   sparingly 
  soluble 
  salt, 
  in 
  microscopic 
  crystals, 
  which 
  appears 
  to 
  be 
  a 
  product 
  of 
  

   decomposition, 
  but 
  of 
  which 
  I 
  must 
  defer 
  the 
  examination 
  until 
  I 
  have 
  obtained 
  

   an 
  additional 
  quantity 
  of 
  thebaine. 
  Chlorine 
  and 
  bromine 
  rapidly 
  decompose 
  

   thebaine 
  with 
  the 
  formation 
  of 
  resinous 
  compounds. 
  

  

  VIII. 
  Salts 
  of 
  Thebaine. 
  

  

  The 
  small 
  quantity 
  of 
  thebaine 
  which 
  I 
  had 
  at 
  my 
  disposal 
  has 
  prevented 
  my 
  

   extending 
  the 
  examination 
  of 
  its 
  salts 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  I 
  could 
  have 
  wished, 
  and 
  I 
  have 
  

   only 
  examined 
  such 
  as 
  are 
  necessary 
  for 
  the 
  determination 
  of 
  its 
  atomic 
  weight, 
  

   and 
  must 
  reserve 
  further 
  details 
  for 
  a 
  future 
  paper. 
  

  

  Hydrochlorate 
  of 
  Thebaine. 
  — 
  In 
  order 
  to 
  prepare 
  this 
  salt, 
  thebaine 
  is 
  mixed 
  

   with 
  a 
  small 
  quantity 
  of 
  strong 
  spirit, 
  and 
  an 
  alcoholic 
  solution 
  of 
  hydrochloric 
  

   acid 
  gas 
  is 
  gradually 
  added 
  until 
  the 
  thebaine 
  is 
  dissolved, 
  an 
  excess 
  being 
  care- 
  

   fully 
  avoided. 
  On 
  standing 
  for 
  some 
  time, 
  the 
  hydrochlorate 
  is 
  deposited 
  in 
  

   extremely 
  brilliant 
  rhomboidal 
  crystals, 
  often 
  of 
  considerable 
  size, 
  or 
  as 
  a 
  crys- 
  

   talline 
  powder 
  if 
  the 
  solution 
  be 
  agitated. 
  These 
  crystals 
  are 
  purified 
  by 
  resolu- 
  

   tion 
  in 
  absolute 
  alcohol. 
  They 
  are 
  extremely 
  soluble 
  in 
  water, 
  and 
  the 
  solution, 
  

   on 
  evaporation, 
  gives 
  only 
  a 
  resinous 
  mass. 
  In 
  alcohol, 
  especially 
  if 
  absolute, 
  

  

  