ON MICROSCOPICAL RESEARCH IN RELATION TO PHARMACY. 239 
commonly received theory he true,—that it is made by a fermentation pro¬ 
cess, in which impure malic acid is concerned,—we can readily understand 
how viscid organic matter may be present in sufficient quantity to produce 
the result alluded to. 
In addition to the preparations of Turkey opium, we have also had tlio op¬ 
portunity of experimenting on small quantities of the Patna, Malwa, and 
Persian varieties, and all of them present peculiarities of interest. An aque¬ 
ous extract and a tincture have been made from each, and from the Patna 
sort sufficient has remained to make a specimen of liquor. 
The most striking fact in connection with the whole of them is the existence 
of large quantities of codeine. In the extract of Patna opium (Plate IV. fig. 
1) it is the chief crystalline constituent, and though the liquor (Plate II. fig. 6) 
shows abundance of the other opium principles, it evidently owes its narcotic 
effect much more to codeine than Turkey opium does. We have the expe¬ 
rience of an opium eater on this point; he states that the quantity required 
to produce the effect is larger, but there is less discomfort in the after effects 
than with other sorts. Malwa opium (Plate IV. fig. 2 and 5) shows more nar- 
cine and narcotine, but in the tincture we have in addition to a mass of mi¬ 
nute crystals, certain larger prisms, which are probably codeine. Persian 
opium (Plate IV. fig. 3 and 6) also evidently contains a large proportion of 
narcotine and codeine. 
We stated at the commencement that this must be looked upon only as a 
preliminary research, there remaining many points on which our information 
is far from complete. In continuing the inquiry we intend to devote our¬ 
selves chiefly to the elucidation of certain particulars. Firstly , the condition 
or form of combination in which morphine exists in crude opium; secondly, 
the relation of extract of poppy to opium in respect to crystalline principles j 
and thirdly, the influence which the extractive matters may have in altering 
the crystals obtained in opium solutions, and the variations of the normal 
forms induced by this cause. 
The general conclusions we have arrived at in addition to a knowledge of 
the appearances presented by typical and special preparations of Turkey, 
Patna, Malwa, and Persian opiums, are mainly these :— 
That tincture, most nearly of any of the preparations, represents the 
properties, good and bad, of the crude drug. 
That when crude opium is taken up with proof spirit as in tincture, the 
resin separates on evaporation. 
That the preparations which have held their ground with the public 
and the medical profession, in spite of price, differ from the tincture in 
comparative freedom from resin and narcotine, and in containing only a 
diminished quantity of meconic acid. 
That in the preparation^extract of opium'it is important to use a large 
quantity of distilled water to ensure the separation of narcotine and resin. 
That when extract of opium is dissolved in water, filtered and evaporated 
again to an extract a second or third time, the crystals frequently differ 
considerably from those seen in the normal or first formed extract. 
That when extract of opium is taken up with rectified spirit 56° O.P., 
and evaporated again to an extract, crystallization does not take place, or 
only to a very trifling extent. 
That morphine and its salts, and perhaps other opium principles, do 
not crystallize readily from their solution in wine. 
Finally, it remains for us to express our obligation to our friends Mr. 
Morson, of London, and Messrs. T. and H. Smith, of London and Edin¬ 
burgh, for the courteous way in which they have assisted us with specimens,, 
when working upon those of the alkaloids which exist only in minute quan- 
