236 
Fromme, G., asserts that the separation of calcium meconate begins 
within six hours, and is sufficient to give abnormally high results 
when using the assay process of the Ph. Germ., IV. He reports the 
assay of four samples of opium, which serve to demonstrate the dif- 
ference in apparent yield of alkaloid in six and in twenty- four 
hours. — Geschafts-Bericht von Caeser & Loretz, in Halle a. S., 1905, 
pp. 43-47. 
Caeser and Loretz recommend the use of acetic ether in place of 
other to promote crystallization of the morphine, and give details of 
a process based on this change. — Geschafts-Bericht von Caeser & 
Loretz, in Halle, a. S., 1905, p. 92. 
Hauke, R. (Pharm. Post.) asserts that for the estimation of mor- 
phine in opium only the methods as outlined by Fliickiger and E. 
Dietrich are to be considered. He believes that the former deserves 
to have the preference, though the method by E. Dietrich is char- 
acterized as being more accurate and, scientifically, more correct. — 
Pharm. Prax., 1905, v. 4, p. 17. 
Naylor, W. A. H., discussing the assay of opium, asserts that the 
process by Dowzard is to be preferred. Dott’s process, he says, 
though excellent in many respects, requires 18 hours for the precipi- 
tation of the morphine. He also points out that if the morphine be 
washed until free from traces of ammonia it can be safely triturated 
in the manner suggested by Dowzard without previous drying. — 
Pharm. J., Lond., 1905, v. 21, p. 125. 
Kebler, Lyman F., comments on the literature relating to the assay 
of opium and gives in detail the following methods : 
(1) The U. S. P., VIII, (2) U. S. P., VIII, modified by Lamar, 
(3) U. S. P., VIII, modified by Dohme, and (4) Stevens’s with 
additions. A table embodying the results obtained by different 
analysts is appended. — Proc. Ass. Off. Agr. Chem., 22 Ann. Conv., 
pp. 161-170. 
Halle, Walter L., discusses the relations of thebaine to morphine 
and codeine, its structural formula and some of its derivatives. — 
Chem. Ztg. Cothen, 1905, v. 29, p. 1266. 
Knorr and Pschorr present a study of thebaine, including discus- 
sion of (1) Decomposition of morphothebaine, (2) thebainone, a 
ketone formed by the reduction of thebaine, (3) thebainone from 
codeinone, and (4) decomposition products from thebainone. — Abstr. 
in Pharm. J., Lond., 1905, v. 21, p. 909. 
Beuttner, E., discusses the difficulty of exhausting opium, particu- 
larly by percolation. He recommends, as the result of his experi- 
ence, a combination maceration and percolation procedure. He does 
not believe that a percolation process, per se, is advantageously 
applicable to drugs that are soluble to the extent of 50 per cent of 
