75 
ABSTRACTS AND GLEANINGS IN BOTANY, ETC. 
A given weight of the opium to be examined is triturated in a mortar with suc¬ 
cessive portions of cold distilled water, until the soluble matter is all dissolved 
(about 2 oz. of water being sufficient for 100 gr. of opium). To the filtered 
solution carefully add, drop by drop, with constant agitation, liquor atnmonise, 
until the whole of the morphia is precipitated, and the ammonia is in slight 
excess. Allow the precipitate to settle for a few hours, then collect it on a 
tared filter, and wash it first with cold water until the washings pass through 
colourless, next with spirit of wine diluted with twice its bulk of water, and, 
lastly, with sulphuric ether ; the precipitate to be now dried and weighed. T he 
morphia is now of a light brown colour, owing to the presence of a little of the 
colouring matter of the opium, which, however, amounts to a mere trace. It is 
to be regretted, as Mr. Miller remarked in the last month’s Journal, that the 
opium was not ordered to be dried previous to being tested, for only by so doing 
can a satisfactory conclusion be arrived at. 
Scammony is a drug to be always regarded with suspicion ; it seems to be made 
to suit all buyers. I have seldom found Aleppo to contain more than 36 per 
cent., and the so-called virgin averages about 80 or 90 per cent. Strong spirit 
of wine is more easily used for extracting the resin than ether, and is quite as 
effective. 
The process for testing the amount of quinia in cinchona-bark will be found 
to require even more skilful manipulation than for morphia in opium. To those 
who have not time to spare for the B. P. process, I should recommend that of 
Buchner, a description of which will be found detailed under the article de¬ 
voted to Cinchonas in Pereira. M. J. E. 
Newcastle-on-Tyne , July, 1867. 
ABSTRACTS AND GLEANINGS FROM BRITISH AND FOREIGN 
JOURNALS IN BOTANY, MATERIA MEDICA, AND THERA¬ 
PEUTICS. 
On a Case of Bromine Poisoning. 
BY SAMUEL P. DUFFIELD, PH.D. 
On the 10th of March I ordered C.W., an employe in the laboratory, to 
prepare some bromide of ammonium. The process given was that of Wittstein, 
which consists in first forming a solution of bromide of iron, under water in a 
large glass balloon by the reaction of bromine upon iron turnings, and then de¬ 
composing the bromide of iron by liquor ammomse, filtering, and evaporating to 
crystallization. Notwithstanding having cautioned him about inhaling the 
vapour, he carelessly poured rapidly, into the large glass, three pounds ot bro¬ 
mine, which evolved vapour to quite a dangerous extent, and which he inhaled. 
I was first aware of the fact by one of the workmen running to me and saying, 
u Carl is dying.” On coming to the patient I found him perfectly asphyxiated, 
not able to give me any intelligence as to what was the cause, but on entering 
the furnace room, I perceived the fumes of bromine, and, of course, realized 
what the true state of affairs was. 
The corrosive action of the bromine was such that the glottis had closed with 
a spasm, and did not seem to be willing to yield. I tried ammonia vapour, but 
as he could not breathe, it was of no avail. I drew out the to, gue, and the air 
would fairly whistle through the glottis, and then the spasm would shut it down 
tight again. For a few seconds I was unable to devise a plan, but finally based 
my plan upon the chemical fact that bromine, like chlorine, acts by its absorp¬ 
tion of water from the tissues, and 1 thought if I could again moisten the 
