1012 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS 
[June 15, 1872. 
Tetracodeia .—Four experiments. In each, case profuse 
salivation, micturation and depression ; dilated pupils in 
three instances, and lachrymation in two; in one case 
vomiting and purging; in another increased reflex excita¬ 
bility with an occasional convulsion (cat was weak and 
not in good condition); slight hypnotism in two cases. 
In two experiments with the dog, salivation and 
depression only were produced. 
From these results it would appear that codeia pro¬ 
duces cerebral congestion and increased reflex excita¬ 
bility without vomiting ; whilst di- and tetracodeia pro¬ 
duce profuse salivation and some depression, with vomit¬ 
ing in several instances ; no evidence of cerebral con¬ 
gestion and but little of increased reflex excitability 
being noticeable. 
VI. Conclusions. 
The foregoing results suggest the probability of other 
bases being capable of forming similar polymerides. In 
anticipation of this result experiments are in progress - 
with morphia. 
Hesse has shown that by the action of HC1 on the- 
baine, there are produced two isomerides of that base, one 
forming crystalline salts, one amorphous salts ; not im¬ 
probably these are respectively dithebaine and tetrathe- 
baine. 
Matthiessen and Foster have shown that cotarnine 
occurs in crystals of the formulae— 
C 12 H 13 N0 3 +*H 2 0 and C 12 H 13 N0 3 +H,0; 
and the writer’s observations indicate that the former 
substance is more stable than the latter, which rapidly 
become more or less coloured ; not improbably these twO‘ 
fox-ms are polymerides, the first being C 24 H 2r) N 2 0 6 -f-H 2 0, 
the second (C 12 H 13 N0 3 )» «H 2 0. Opianic rcid, on heat¬ 
ing, furnishes an anhydride of formula C 40 H 3g O lQ ; this- 
tends to show that the formula of this acid is not less than— 
C 20 H 20 O 10 ; 
not impossibly, therefore, the formula of narcotine may 
Keagent, ete. 
Alcohol. 
Ether. 
Character of base. 
Character of hydro¬ 
chlorate. 
Ferric chloride. 
Nitric acid. 
Potassium dichromate 
and sulphuric acid. 
>Sodium carbonate 
and solution of 
hydrochlorate. 
Caustic potash and 
solution of hydro- 
chlorate. 
Codeia. 
Soluble. 
Soluble. 
Crystalline, stable in 
the air. 
Crystallizes with 
2II 2 0 for C 1S ; not 
lost at 100°. 
Nil. 
Light oi-ange. 
Nil. 
No immediate preci¬ 
pitate, crystals on 
standing. 
Oily precipitate if 
concentrated, be¬ 
coming crystalline 
on standing. Not 
markedly soluble in 
excess. 
Dieodeia. 
Soluble. 
Soluble. 
Amorphous, stable in 
the air. 
Crystallizes with 
3H 2 0 for C ]3 ; lost 
at 100°, and partially 
at lower tempera¬ 
tures. 
Nil when pure. 
Light orange. 
Instantaneous amor¬ 
phous precipitate 
but little soluble in 
excess. 
Oily precipitate if con¬ 
centrated, not be¬ 
coming crystalline; 
more dilute solu¬ 
tions give a white 
amorphous precipi¬ 
tate soluble in large 
Tricodeia. 
Soluble. 
Soluble. 
Amorphous. Very 
slowly oxidizes 
while moist. 
Non-crystalline, ex¬ 
tremely deliques¬ 
cent. 
No colour at fix-st, 
reddish-purple on 
standing. 
Blood red. 
Evanescent red. 
Same as dicodeia. 
Same as dicodeia. 
Tetracodeia. 
Soluble. 
Insoluble. 
Amorphous. Very 
slowly oxidizes 
while moist. 
Non-crystalline, deli¬ 
quescent. 
Reddish-purple colour 
immediately. 
Blood-red. 
Evanescent red. 
Same as dicodeia. 
Same as dicodeia. 
Action of hydrochloric 
acid not pushed to 
extreme. 
Action of hydriodic 
acid in conjunction 
with phosphorus, 
not pushed to ex¬ 
treme. 
Action of sulphuric 
acid, not pushed to 
extreme. 
Formula inferred from 
above properties 
and l’eactions. 
Physiological action 
of 0-1 grm. of an¬ 
hydrous hydrochlo¬ 
rate subcutaneously 
injected into adult 
cats. 
Product contains Cl 
for C 3G ; further ac- i 
tion contains Cl 9 for 
C 
'“ 36 - 
Polymerizes with eli¬ 
mination of CH 3 
for C ls , forming- 
bases derived from 
being added on for 
C l7 in product. 
Polymerizes, forming 
successively di-, 
tri-, and tetracodeia. 
C 36 H 42 N 2 G 6 . 
Extreme hypersensi¬ 
tiveness and cere- 
bi-al congestion, 
dilatation of pupils; 
no diarrhoea; no 
vomiting in any 
instance. 
excess. 
Product contains Cl 
for C 72 . 
Polymerizes with eli¬ 
mination of CH a 
for C lg , forming 
bases derived from 
(C 17 H 20 NO 3 ) 8 , h 
being added on for 
C 17 in product. 
Polymerizes, forming 
tetracodeia. 
C 72 H 84 N 4 0 12 . 
No hypersensitiveness 
nor cerebral con¬ 
gestion ; dilatation 
of pupils ; vomiting 
in every instance. 
With a dog profuse 
diarrhoea without 
vomiting. 
H 2 0 removed for C ls ; 
no basic Cl con¬ 
tained in product. 
^”' 103 ^ 126 ^ 6 ^ 18 * 
Hypersensitiveness 
scarcely marked; 
vomiting in some 
instances, in others 
salivation and de- 
fa} cation. 
Nil. 
CII 3 eliminated for 
C 18 ; product derived 
from (C l -H 19 N0 3 ) s , 
no H being added 
on, but simply I 
substituted for OH. 
Nil. Further action, 
probablydehydrates- 
and oxidizes. 
bu44bfiGsN 3 0 24 . 
No hypersensitive¬ 
ness ; vomiting, sali¬ 
vation, or diarrhoea 
in every case ; great 
depression. 
With a dog profuse' 
salivation and de¬ 
pression. 
