586 



DRU&S, NARCOTICS, ETC. 



diameter, and covered externally witli the vestiges of some leaf. It is dis- 

 tinguished from the others hy its reddish color, resemhling " Socotrine Aloes." 

 The quantity of morphia in this is inferior to the preceding. It has one quality 

 which, when adulterated, ought to be known, that is a musty smell. By keeping 

 it does not blacken like the other kinds. 



Fourth, English Opium, is in flat cakes or balls enveloped in leaves. It 

 resembles fine Egyptian opium more than any other kind. Its color is that of 

 hepatic aloes, and in the quantity of morphia it is inferior to the preceding, but 

 in the strength of the mass it is said by one of its most extensive cultivators to 

 be superior. 



Fifth, French, and sixth German Opium, require no particular remarks. By 

 a recent notice I find the French are cultivating the poppy in Algeria, from 

 which they get opium giving a small per centage of morphia. 



Seventh, Trebizond or Persian Opium, is sometimes met with of a very 

 inferior quality in the form of cylindrical sticks, which by pressure have become 

 angular. 



Eighth, Indian Opium, divided into four kinds, Cutch, Malwa, Patna and 

 Benares. Of these Cutch is but little known or cultivated. It occurs in small 

 cakes covered with leaves, and its color is much inferior to Smyrna. Malwa 

 opium is to be met with of two kinds. The inferior is in flattened cakes, without 

 any external covering, dull, opaque, blackish brown externally, internally some- 

 what darker, and soft. Its color is somewhat like the Sra3rrna, but less power- 

 ful, and with a slight smoky smell. Superior Malwa is in square cakes, about 

 three inches in length and one inch thick. It has the appearance of a well 

 prepared, shining, dry, pharmaceutical extract ; its color is blackish brown, its 

 odor less powerful than Smyrna ; it is not covered by petals as the following 

 kinds are, but smeared with oil ; it is then rubbed with pounded petals. 



The Behar, Patna, and Benares Opium, being strictly in the hands of Govern- 

 ment, no adulteration can take place, without a most extensive system of fraud; 

 but it will not be uninteresting to trace the progress of the opium from the 

 hands of the natives, to the condition in ^hich it is delivered to the public by 

 the Government. 



From the commencement of the hot season to the middle of the rains the 

 Government is ready to receive opium, which is brought by the natives every 

 morning, in batches, varying in quantities from twenty seers to a maund. The 

 examining officer into each jar thrusts his examining rod, which consists of a 

 slit bamboo, and, by experience, be can so judge of the qualities of the speci- 

 mens before him, which are sorted into lots of No. 1 to No. 4 quality. Opium 

 of the first quality is of a fi le chesnut color, aromatic smell, and dense consis- 

 tence. It is moderately ductile, and, when the mass is torn, breaks with a 

 deeply notched fracture, with sharp needle-like fibres, translucent and ruby red 

 at the edges. It is readily broken down under water, and the solution at first 

 filtors of a sher'-y color, which darkens as the process proceeds. One hundred 

 grains of this yield an extract to cold distilled water of from 35 to 45, and at 

 the temperature of 212 degs., leaves from 20 to 28 per cent,, having a con- 

 sistency of 70 to 72, the consistence of the factory. 



The second quality is inferior to the first, and the third quality is possessed 

 of the following properties, black paste, of a very hea-vy smell, drops from 

 the examining rod, gives off from 40 to 50 per cent, of moisture, and contains 

 a large quantity of " Pasewa ;" while the fourth or last number embraces all 

 the kinds which are too bad to be used in the composition of the balls, com- 

 prising specimens cf all varieties of color and consistence. This number is 

 mixed with water, and only used as a paste to cement the covering of 

 the balls. 



The three first qualities are emptied from their jars into large tanks, in 

 which they are kept until the supply of the season has been obtained. The 

 opium is then removed and exposed to the air on shallow wooden frames, until 

 it becomes of the consistency of from 69 to 70, when it is given to the cake 

 maker, who guesses to a drachm the exact weight, ard envelops the opium in 

 its covering of petals, cemented by a covering of quality number 4. The balls 

 are then weighed and stored, to undergo a thorough ventilation and diying. 

 Formerly the covering of the balls was composed of the leaves of tobacco ; but 



