510 



Action of Hydrobromic Acid on Codeia §c. [June 15, 



and is, moreover, probable from the circumstance that the numbers ob- 

 tained in some instances indicate the presence of deoxycodeia as well as 

 deoxymorphia ; whilst the second view involves the not improbable exist- 

 ence of bromomorphide, C 17 H ]8 Br N0 2 ; on the other hand, it will be 

 shown in the next section that equation (III.) represents a reaction which 

 does not readily take place with deoxycodeia, when not in the nascent con- 

 dition at any rate. 



Whichever view be adopted, the ultimate formation of bromotetramorphia 

 requires the action of water on a brominated body, substituting hydroxyl 

 for bromine by a reaction perfectly parallel to that whereby codeia is 

 regenerated from chlorocodide by the action of water *, viz. 



C 13 H 20 CI N0 2 + H 2 0=HC1+ C 18 H 21 N0 3 . 



§ 3. Action of Hydrobromic Acid on Deoxycodeia. 



In the hope that this action would give rise to methyl bromide and 

 deoxymorphia, deoxycodeia hydrobromate was heated to 100° for two 

 hours with about five parts of 48 per cent. HBr ; no change whatever 

 took place, no methyl bromide being found on opening the tube in which 

 the digestion was carried on after complete cooling. After an hour's 

 additional exposure to a temperature of 120°-130°, the contents of the tube 

 were found to have become black and tarry, while a small quantity of 

 methyl bromide floated on the top. Precipitated by sodium carbonate, a 

 very dirty substance was obtained, which was almost insoluble in ether ; 

 the etherial extract, shaken with HBr, gave a small quantity of a tarry 

 hydrobromate, of which O1330 grm. gave 0'0790 AgBr or Br= 25*20 per 

 cent, deoxymorphia hydrobromate requiring only 22' 86 per cent. 



Nothing fit for analysis could be obtained from the portion insoluble in 

 ether, and the minute yield of pure deoxycodeia from codeia precluded a 

 repetition of the experiment. 



§ 4. On the Physiological Action of the foregoing Codeia derivatives. 

 By Michael Foster, M.A., M.D. 



The hydrochlorate of chlorotetracodeia and the Irydrobromate of bromo- 

 tetramorphia, in doses of a decigramme by subcutaneous injection or by the 

 mouth, produced in adult cats in a very few minutes a condition of great 

 excitement, almost amounting to delirium, accompanied by a copious flow 

 of saliva and great dilatation of the pupils. Micturation and defalcation 

 occurred in some instances, and vomiting was observed on two occasions 

 with the morphia-salt, but was very slight. The excitement was very 

 peculiar, being apparently due partly to increased sensitiveness to noises, 

 and partly to an impulse to rush about. 



The same doses of the morphia-salt given to a young kitten produced the 

 same flow of saliva, dilatation of pupils, and excitement (without vomiting) ; 

 * Matthiessen and Wright, Proc. Roy. Soc. vol. xviii. p. 88. 



