365 
1889 - 90 .] Mr Dott and Dr Stockman on Morphine. 
ened in colour, yet the loss of weight was only a fraction of a per 
cent., whence it is almost certain that the alkaloid is precipitated 
in the anhydrous state. 
It will be observed that the chloroplatinate and the hydrochloride 
appear obstinately to retain water in the proportion of one molecule 
to two molecules of alkaloid ; so that, so far as our results go, the 
alkaloid may have the composition C 38 H 48 lSr 2 0 7 . If that be the 
case, the equation above noted should be — 
2C 18 H 21 N0 3 .CH 3 1 + 2KHO = C 38 H 48 ¥ 2 0 7 + 2K1 + H 2 0. 
Whether the water is merely combined as hydrate, or has become 
a constituent part of the molecule of the base, is a point we have 
not had opportunity of absolutely determining; but the pharma- 
cological results are more in harmony with the latter theory. 
Physiological Action of Methocodeine. 
The chemical change represented in methocodeine completely 
alters the action characteristic of the morphine group — so much so, 
indeed, that points of similarity are hard to find. The distin- 
guishing features of morphine-poisoning are wholly absent ; there 
is no narcosis and no tetanus. The symptoms are due chiefly to 
poisoning of the muscles, and, to a less extent, depression of the 
spinal cord. 
In our experiments we used the hydrochlorate, or the alkaloid 
dissolved in acetic acid and water. 
Frogs . — A dose of 5 milligrammes usually had very little action. 
The animal became rather less active, but as a rule little further 
change was observable. 
When 1 centigramme was given, however, the frog shortly 
became sluggish, there was depression of reflex excitability and 
poisoning of the voluntary muscles. The muscles at the place of 
injection were first affected, their electric excitability gradually 
becoming diminished until it completely disappeared. This con- 
dition slowly spread to all the other voluntary muscles. A similar 
mode of action on voluntary muscle has been observed in the case 
of caffeine, benzoylecgonine, and a number of other alkaloids. 
The following experiment shows the usual course of poisoning 
after 1 centigramme: — 
