CHLORODYNE. 
419 
dyne, such as atropia, are soluble in ether, with the exception of morphia, which 
remains undissolved. The residue, insoluble in ether, is treated with acetic 
ether, in which it speedily dissolves. A small portion of the ether solution un¬ 
dergoes no change on the addition of potassic iodomercuride solution, but by 
evaporation yields a very minute residue, which has an intensely pungent and 
burning taste, being evidently impure capsicine. All my attempts to obtain 
evidence of the presence of atropia failed. 
The acetic ether solution gives a copious precipitate on the addition of po¬ 
tassic iodomercuride solution, and by evaporation yields microscopic crystals, 
which, on the addition of a few drops of acidulated water, give the usual mor¬ 
phia reactions with nitric acid and neutral ferric chloride, thus satisfactorily 
demonstrating the presence of morphia. 
From the above it will be seen that chlorodyne consists essentially of chloro¬ 
form, morphia, ether, hydrocyanic acid, and capsicum, with the addition of 
gum and treacle as vehicles, and oil of peppermint as a flavouring ingredient. 
Tincture of Indian hemp does not appear to be present, as the alcoholic extract 
is soluble in water. 
The quantitative estimation of the several component parts of chlorodyne is 
in some respects a very tedious process, but it may be roughly made as follows: 
-—The chloroform by distilling a known quantity, and adding to the distillate a 
given volume of water,—the chloroform is thus isolated, and, if a graduated mea¬ 
sure be used, its volume at once read off ; at the same time the amount of spirit, 
plus hydrocyanic acid, may be noted, and the oil of peppermint, plus ether, which 
floats on the surface. If the hydrocyanic acid be now estimated by precipita¬ 
ting with a known weight of silver nitrate, the amount of spirit is a simple 
matter of calculation. 
The gum readily separates on the addition of alcohol, and may be washed, 
dried, and weighed, or a known volume of water added to the precipitate, in 
which it speedily dissolves, the increase in volume will approximately give the 
amount of gum. The capsicum does not exist in sufficient quantity to admit of 
measurement. 
The morphia may be estimated by evaporating the acetic ether solution to 
dryness, dissolving in water slightly acidulated with acetic acid, and cautiously 
neutralizing with caustic potash (being careful to avoid excess, which redissolves 
the precipitated morphia), filtering and weighing. It is necessary to operate 
upon at least four ounces of chlorodyne to arrive at anything like satisfactory 
results. The potassic iodomercuride solution precipitates morphia from its solu¬ 
tions, but unfortunately the reaction is not sufficiently reliable to employ it as 
a quantitative test. The amount of treacle may be estimated pretty closely by 
calculation after all the ingredients have been accounted for. 
The composition of chlorodyne, then, I put as follows :— 
Chloroform i . . . f. 3iv 
Morphise Mur. . . gr. xx 
iEther. Rectif. . . f. 5ij 
01 . M. Pip. . . . mviij 
Acid. Hydrocy. Dil. f. 3iv 
Tinct. Capsici . . f. 5 v j 
Mist. Acaciae. . . f. 3j 
Theriacae . . . ad f. £iv. 
Misce. 
This does not give so dark a compound as the original, because the latter con¬ 
tains caramel, but as this has no medicinal or other value, I have omitted it, 
making up to the required volume with the treacle. 
