CRYSTALLINE CONSTITUENTS OF OPIUM. 197 



tine, which had not been mixed with the others, but treated in a different man- 

 ner for the preparation of thebaine, and it seemed probable that it would be 

 found in abundance in the precipitate produced in that fluid by subacetate of lead. 

 This opinion proved to be perfectly correct, and after a few trials it was found 

 that it might be readily extracted in the following manner. The subacetate of 

 lead precipitate was reduced to fine powder and boiled with alcohol, by which means 

 a very dark fluid was obtained, which deposited a few crystals, apparently of 

 narcotine, on cooling, and on further concentration, a dark-coloured resinous sub- 

 stance was left. After the complete expulsion of the alcohol, the residual mass 

 was treated with dilute hydrochloric acid, which dissolved narcotine and papa- 

 verine, and left a quantity of a black resinous matter, which was separated by 

 filtration. The fluid was then concentrated and left to itself. In the course of 

 a few days crystals of the sparingly soluble hydrochlorate of papaverine began 

 to make their appearance, and continued gradually to increase for some time. 

 As soon as they ceased to increase they were removed from the solution, which 

 was found to contain narcotine, and purified by several crystallizations. The 

 base was then separated by ammonia, and obtained in a state of absolute purity, 

 by solution in boiling alcohol, and crystallization. 



Papaverine, as thus obtained, is in the form of minute radiated crystals, 

 highly soluble in boiling alcohol ; so much so, that a saturated hot solution be- 

 comes nearly solid on cooling. It saturates the acids completely, and gives in the 

 most distinct manner the reaction with strong sulphuric acid described by Merck. 

 Although the formula assigned to papaverine by its discoverer appeared to be 

 correct, an analysis of that obtained by the process just described was made; and 

 as in the course of the investigation it became necessary to ascertain by analysis 

 whether particular specimens were free of narcotine, several additional combus- 

 tions were obtained, the results of which are also given. The analyses were made 

 with the chromate of lead. 



{4*250 grains of papaverine, dried at 212°, gave 

 11-020 ... carbonic acid, and 

 2-410 ... water. 



{4-525 grains of papaverine gave 

 11-714 ... carbonic acid, and 

 2-635 ... water. 



{4-416 grains of papaverine gave 

 11-430 ... carbonic acid, and 

 2-569 ■•• water. 



f 8*380 grains of papaverine gave, by Peligot's method, 

 \ 0-369 ... nitrogen. 



8-960 grains of papaverine gave, by Peligot's method, 

 0-355 ... nitrogen. 



