274 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[October 1, 1870. 
the world it seemed an undoubted fact that fine, dry, warm 
weather produced, in any tolerable climate, a fair quality 
of opium; whereas, in a contrary season, the other and 
less valuable constituents (narcotine, etc.) were predomi¬ 
nant. It was therefore probable that the effect of sun¬ 
light and warmth would be to convert a portion of these 
constituents into the more valuable form of morphia. 
He also stated that it was his intention to grow some 
poppies in his own district, should he able to procure 
good seed, and also forward some to Australia, for the 
purpose of investigating the matter more fully. 
Mr. Dymond remarked that in his opinion we ought 
to go to Smyrna for seed. 
Mr. Brady said he understood some of the Norfolk 
specimens of opium contained a very large percentage of 
morphia. He believed it was considered impossible to 
produce opium on a large estate with a large staff of 
labourers; and in Asiatic Turkey poppies are grown 
for the purpose only by small farmers. The French 
had tried the growth of poppies in Algeria, but with 
little success, so that other conditions besides climate 
seemed to be requisite. The extract of poppy capsules 
had been found by Mr. Deane and himself to differ en¬ 
tirely from true opium in microscopic characters. 
Mr. Groves (Weymouth) expressed his belief that 
the production of opium was a continuous process of the 
incised poppy, and, therefore, that the proposal to obtain 
opium, or anything resembling it in strength, by ex¬ 
pressing the unripe capsules, would prove delusive. He 
had himself, on two occasions, examined carefully the 
ripe capsules. On the first occasion, he had recovered 
sufficient alkaloids to justify further experiment. The 
second experiment'was conducted upon 50 lbs. of crushed 
capsules. From that large quantity was obtained, nar- 
ceia 23 grs., morphia 75 grs., narcotine 36 grs., codeia 
33 grs. He had a decided impression that the “crushed ” 
capsules were inferior in quality to the “ poppy-heads.” 
Analysis or Bitter Cassava Juice, and Experiments 
in Elucidation op its Supposed Antiseptic Pro¬ 
perties. 
BY PROFESSOR ATTFIELD, PH.D., F.C.S., 
Professor of Practical Chemistry to the Pharmaceutical 
Society. 
The bitter cassava ( Manihot utilissima , Pohl) is a plant 
whose tuberous roots yield the starch which, when granu¬ 
lated, is known as tapioca. The juice of the root is said 
to be somewhat poisonous, but, when heated, the noxious 
principle disappears, and the concentrated fluid is used 
as the basis of various sauces (cassareep). This juice, 
freed from starch and boiled, is commonly believed to be 
a powerful antiseptic. (Shier, ‘ Report on the Starch-pro¬ 
ducing Plants of the Colony of British Guiana,’ Deme- 
rara, 1847; Hamilton, Pharmaceutical Journal, 1st 
series, Vol. V. p. 30.) 
A specimen of the “boiled juice of the bitter cassava,” 
having a dark brown colour and a consistency of thick 
cream, was recently sent to me from Jamaica (through 
Mr. Shepherd, of Chester), with a request that it should 
be analysed and otherwise examined, with the view of 
ascertaining whether or not its stated power of prevent¬ 
ing decay in meat rendered it worthy of application as a 
preserving agent on a large scale. The following ana¬ 
lytical and other experiments were conducted :— 
One hundred parts of the juice contain 
Water.39-2 
Vegetable matter: 
Albuminoid substance . 9-0 
Alkaloidal bodies. . . none 
Volatile oil.trace 
Cane or grape sugar ._ none 
Starch.none 
Mucilaginous and other 
inert matter. . . . 37’7 
- 46 7 
Mineral constituents: 
Iron (as peroxide) . . 2-8 
Other inorganic salts . 11’3 
- 14T 
Experiments. 
First Series. —Several cooked mutton chops were well 
rubbed with various quantities of the juice, and others 
lightly rubbed, and some smeared or covered. These 
and a raw chop were set aside in separate cupboards. 
In two days the raw chop was tainted, and in three 
putrid. In three days one chop gave evidence of mould; 
in four days more mould, on the others also: in five to 
eight days, all more or less mouldy ; on the seventh day 
one chop tainted; on the eighth to twelfth, all were 
tainted and some putrid. 
Second Series. —Some cutlets cooked in water contain¬ 
ing small and large quantities of cassava juice, and one 
cooked without juice, were set aside in separate cup¬ 
boards. In seven days, the cutlet without juice was 
putrid; in fourteen days, the others had become mouldy 
and putrid, more or less quickly, and to a greater or 
less extent. 
Third Series. —Beef was affected in a similar manner, 
and to about the same extent, as mutton. 
Fourth Series. —Extract of meat was diluted with warm 
water, and three portions set aside. 
a. Unflavoured. 
b. Flavoured with salt and pepper. 
c. Flavoured with cassava juice. 
In four days, a, the simple diluted extract, was 
tainted, and in five putrid. In five days, b and c were 
slightly mouldy; in nine days tainted, and in fifteen 
putrid,—each to about the same extent. 
Remarks. 
The analysis and other experiments show that cassava 
juice contains nothing that imparts to it antiseptic powers 
of great value. Its property of slightly retarding the de¬ 
composition of raw or cooked animal matter is not greater 
than that possessed by such common aromatics as pepper; 
and wholly inadequate to warrant its employment in 
preserving meat on any large or important scale. 
The foregoing experiments were conducted at tempera¬ 
tures of atmosphere varying from 60° to 80° F., in different 
places, and under other varying conditions. The sample of 
juice was apparently of average quality, though contain¬ 
ing a larger proportion of iron than is present in a speci¬ 
men in the Museum of the Pharmaceutical Society. 
Nothing was wanting to make the examination fair and 
crucial. 
I am of opinion that the slight antiseptic character of 
bitter cassava juice is due to the presence of a very small 
quantity of aromatic oil, and that the juice is of no prac¬ 
tical value as an agent for preserving meat. 
Since these experiments were made, larger trials of the 
juice have been conducted in Jamaica, with similar re¬ 
sults to those now described. 
On the so-called “ Citrate of Magnesia” of 
Pharmacy. 
BY MR. F. M. RIMMINGTON. 
There appeared in the Pharmaceutical Journal for 
June 15 th a letter by me on a mode of estimating the 
value of the so-called citrate of magnesia by estimating 
the amount of carbonic acid; and I then stated that the 
amount of acid was influenced by two causes, either by 
bad management, thereby driving off by heat too much 
of the carbonic acid, or, by the diminution of the pro¬ 
portion of the bicarbonate of soda, and also, as a matter 
of course, that of the tartaric acid by increasing the pro¬ 
portion of sugar ; for it follows as a natural consequence, 
that if one of the constituents be increased, the others 
will be diminished in the same ratio in 100 parts. Now, 
