June 17,1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
1005 
HOTS OH KYDRQCYAHATE OS MORPHIA. 
BY PROFESSOR J. M. MAISCH. 
> Among the descriptions of morpliia salts, as fur¬ 
nished by various chemists, the hydrocyanate is not 
enumerated. In Gmelin’s ‘ Chemistry ’ some double 
hydrocyanates are mentioned, but not the simple 
morphia salt; and, as far as I know, nothing is 
known of its formation or its properties. 
A prescription having been received, calling for 
1 grain eacli of acetate of morpliia and cyanide of 
potassium in a 3-oz. mixture, the separation of 
needles was observed before the medicine was handed 
out; they were removed by straining, and found to 
be a salt of morphia. Although granulated cyanide 
of potassium was used, it was still possible that this 
salt might have been impure, and the formation of 
the crystals due to some impurity. 
Pure hydrocyanic acid was therefore neutralized 
with ammonia, and the aqueous liquid diluted, so 
that it contained in each fluid drachm 1 grain of 
pure cyanide of ammonium. This solution was ex¬ 
perimented with like the solution of cyanide of 
potassium. The following contains the results of 
the experiments thus far obtained :— 
1. A neutral solution of a morphia salt, even if 
diluted to the proportion of 1 : 1500 (1 grain in 
3£ oz.), yields until a neutral cyanide a crystalline 
precipitate consisting of hydrocyanate of morphia. 
2. After the crystals have separated, the filtrate, 
acidulated with nitric acid, yields no precipitate with 
iodoliydrargyrate of potassium ; the morpliia hydro¬ 
cyanate, therefore, if soluble at all, dissolves but 
very sparingly in water. 
3. The solubility of the morphia hydrocyanate 
appears not to be increased by an excess of the 
precipitant. 
4. The precipitate is readily dissolved if the liquid 
is slightly acidulated by a mineral acid; it is like¬ 
wise soluble in acetic acid, and for this reason does 
not appear in a mixture containing syrup of squill. 
5. Hydrocyanic acid does not precipitate a neutral 
solution of morpliia. 
It is obvious from the foregoing that morphia 
salts ought not to be prescribed simultaneously with 
neutral cyanides, except enough acid be added to 
retain the hydrocyanate of morphia in solution.— 
Amer. Journ. Pharmacy. 
LIQUOR PLUMBI SUBACETATIS. 
BY STEWART KELLAM, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.* 
As it is of considerable interest to the pharmaceu¬ 
tist to know the strength of the basic acetate of lead 
of the different Pharmacopoeias, I have, in the labo¬ 
ratory of Hr. F. A. Genth, carefully prepared the 
different samples, and have examined them with re¬ 
ference to their specific gravity, and the amount of 
oxide of lead which they contain. The materials 
used for such preparations were first examined quali¬ 
tatively. The acetate of lead was in thick, stout 
crystalline masses; the interior brilliant, and only 
the outside slightly coated with a more basic ace¬ 
tate ; it was free from copper, and contained no 
other impurities. 
The litharge, on the contrary, was of far less 
* An Inaugural Essay upon passing tlie examination for 
the degree of Graduate in Pharmacy of the Philadelphia 
College of Pharmacy. 
Third Series, No. 51. 
purity. I have examined six samples from different 
sources; they all contained carbonic acid and minute 
traces of silver; two of them also metallic lead, and 
red oxide of lead ; two were contaminated with oxides 
of iron and copper, with alumina and lime ; and the 
other two showed, besides the impurities mentioned, 
silicic acid and teroxide of antimony. As it is so 
very easy to obtain the pure oxide of lead by the 
calcination of the pure carbonate, it is advisable to 
prepare always the pure oxide for pharmaceutical 
preparations. I have prepared my solutions of the 
subacetate, both with the purest of the examined 
samples of commercial litharge, and with chemically 
pure oxide of lead. 
1. Prepared according to the Pharmacopoeia Ba- 
densis:—190 parts of sugar of lead are digested with 
222 parts of oxide. I have tried the process by 
digesting, in a close flask, 12 grins, of acetate of lead 
with 14 grms. of litharge and GO c. c. of distilled 
water for two days. The mixture, after a short 
time, had assumed a thick, pasty consistence, from 
the formation of a large percentage of .the so-called 
■i- acetate, and yielded such a small proportion of 
liquid that further experiments were not made. 
2. According to the Prussian Pharmacopoeia:—3 
parts of acetate of lead are digested in a close flask 
for one or two days, with one part of litharge and 
10 parts of water, and filtering the product after 
cooling, which then should have a specific gravity of 
1-235 to 1-240. 
An experiment made with 18 grms. acetate of lead, 
0 grms. of litharge and 00 c. c. of water (distilled) gave, 
after digestion and filtration of the small quantity of 
undissolved basic acetate, a clear liquid, which, how¬ 
ever, after several days, deposited a slight precipi¬ 
tate. The specific gravity was found to he 1-238, 
and 19:3255 grms. of the liquid gave, when precipi¬ 
tated with sulphuric acid, and after the expulsion of 
the liberated acetic acid by evaporation, 54)258 grms. 
sulphate lead, equal to 19’14 per cent, of oxide of lead. 
3. The Bavarian Pharmacopoeia takes, for three 
parts of acetate of lead, one part of litharge and 
eight parts of water, and boils down the mixture till 
the liquid has acquired a specific gravity of l’SGO. 
According to Wittstein (‘ Chemiscli-Pharmaceutische 
Praeparate ’), it is easier and better, and yielding the 
same result, to take only one-half the quantity of water. 
My experiment was made according to Wittstein, 
and 18 grms. of acetate of lead, with G grms. of oxide 
of lead, were digested with 33 grms. of water, and, 
after filtration, gave a clear liquid of P37G specific 
gravity. 12*5856 grms. gave 4'8464 grms. sulphate 
of lead, equal to 28‘34 per cent, of oxide of lead. 
4. The Pharmacopoeia Gallica uses the same pro¬ 
portions of acetate and oxide of lead as the Bavarian; 
hence I did not deem it necessary to repeat my ex¬ 
periments with these proportions. 
5. The Pharmacopoeia Britannica prepares the 
liquor plumbi subacctatis by taking 5 oz. (avoird.) of 
acetate of lead, 3£ ounces of litharge, and one impe¬ 
rial pint of distilled water; boils for half an hour, 
constantly stirring the mixture; filters after cooling, 
and adds water to make the product 20 ounces. The 
specific gravity is 1-260, 
In my experiment I have taken 20 grms. of ace¬ 
tate of lead, 14 grms. of litharge and 60 grms. of 
water, and added to the product the required quan¬ 
tity of water to produce GO grms. of liquid. The 
specific gravity in my experiment was considerably 
higher, and found to be P353. 18D218 grms. gave 
