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BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE. 
the meconic acid is decomposed, extremely probable. It is scarcely likely tliat 
a substance which even boiling water decomposes, evolving carbonic acid, 
sliould remain unchanged through the various treatments to which the drug 
is subjected. 
Meconate of Morphine is set down in chemical works as being uncrystal- 
lizable, a statement to be accepted with reservation; for by careful manipu¬ 
lation peculiar conical crystals may be obtained either from the solution of 
the commercial salt in dilute alcohol (Plate I. fig. 3 h.a.), or by the evapora¬ 
tion of mixed solutions of morphia and meconic acid (Plate I. fig. 3 h.h.). 
These crystals do not resemble any which are found on evaporating opium 
solutions, but as we have said, the subject requires more investigation than 
we have as yet been able to give to it. 
Sulphate of Morphine takes the form of small flat-ended prisms, with a 
strong tendency to collect in radiating tufts ; the larger flat crystals only 
polarized (Plate I. fig. 3 a). 
Codeine crystallizes in octahedra running into four-sided prisms. In the 
octahedral condition it is not easily mistaken for any other of the opium alka¬ 
loids, but the prisms strongly resemble those of narcotine. (Plate I. fig. 4 a). 
They may be distinguished by their not presenting the fluted or striated 
surface which crystals of narcotine have, and by their much less striking 
effect on the ray of polarized light. 
Narcotine occurs in the form of prisms, with oblique one or two-faced ends. 
As above stated, the surface of the crystals is fluted or striated, and on pres¬ 
sure they break up into tolerably regular smaller crystals (Plate I. fig. 2). 
Owing to a sort of composite structure, they have very marked effect on the 
polarized ray, more striking indeed than any other of the opium principles. 
Were it not for this property, they would be distinguished with great diffi¬ 
culty from many other crystalline substances which they resemble in form. 
There is a tendency, as in other cases, to cluster together in more or less 
radiating tufts, but the individual crystals still keep their shape and do not 
degenerate into mere radiating plumose needles, like those of narceine. 
Narceine. —As narceine exists in opium in about the same percentage, on 
the average, as morphia and narcotine, it is of greater consequence in these in¬ 
vestigations than it is in a medical point of view, being probably an inert sub¬ 
stance. It is readily soluble in alcohol, and slightly so in water, and therefore 
must exist to considerable extent in most of our preparations. The absolute 
form of the individual crystals it is impossible to determine, but the masses 
of delicate, somewhat opaque, silky needles, either radiating from a centre or 
taking an irregular feathery shape are very characteristic, and the absence of 
any effect on a ray of polarized light is a negative property of importance. 
(Plate I. fig. C a.) 
Meconine occurs in six-sided prisms with dihedral summits, and has little, 
if any, polarizing power. (Plate I. fig. 5 a.) 
Thehaine is readily soluble in alcohol, slightly so in water. From solutions 
in weak alcohol it crystallizes in beautiful rectangular plates, often asso¬ 
ciated in tufts more or less radiating from a centre. (Plate I. fig. 4 h.) It is a 
most beautiful polarizing object. 
Papaverine is present to so trifling an extent that it scarcely requires notice. 
The little which is dissolved by boiling water crystallizes out again on cooling 
in minute needles often aggregated in rounded balls, so closely packed as to 
be quite opaque. The large crystals obtained from the alcoholic solution 
possess slight polarizing properties (Plate I. fig. 6 b). 
Meconic Acid. —Although the meconate of morphine in opium is an acid salt, 
it seems probable that part of the meconic acid is also there in a free state; 
at any rate, we frequently find it in preparations. As it is soluble in both 
