CUYPTOPIA, A NEW ALKALOID DISCOVERED IN OPIUM. 59 5 
of the cinchonicine. I cannot account for this fact, but perhaps Mr. M‘Ivor may gain 
some light upon it. 
The cinchonine in these two samples was obtained in a beautifully crystalline 
form as alkaloid, and afterwards in its characteristic crystallization as sulphate. Cin- 
choniciue, the residuary product, is insoluble in ether and of rather uncertain compo¬ 
sition. 
On the whole, the present remittance of barks is unquestionably the most instructive 
and the most encouraging that I have had the opportunity of examining from India. 
CUYPTOPIA, A NEW ALKALOID DISCOVERED IN OPIUM. 
BY T. AND II. SMITH. 
There are now known to exist in opium nine undoubted principles with 
markedly distinguishing characters :—morphia, codeia, papaverine, narcotine, 
thebaia, narceine, meconine, meconic acid, and thebolactic acid. 
In the multiplicity of its constituents and in its wonderful action, as well 
salutary as deleterious, upon the living animal system, opium takes, par excel¬ 
lence^ the highest place amongst all the products of the vegetable kingdom of 
nature. If it should be objected that the greater part of the principles yielded 
by it may really be the result of the varied manipulations necessary for obtaining 
them, the wonder is not in the least diminished, unless, which is very far from 
being the case, anything like an equal number of principles of equally marked 
characters may have been found in any other production of vegetable nature.* 
It is long since it became a conviction in our minds that the long and won¬ 
derful list of opium products does not exhaust the number which this drug 
might still conceal, but which may be ready to be revealed by some happy 
chance to the chemist possessed of sufficient opportunity for the research. In 
proof that our preconception was not erroneous, we are now able to add another 
well-marked body to the list already admitted. The new substance is an 
organic alkaloid ; its alkaline character is strong and decided, perfectly neutra¬ 
lizing the strongest acids, and forming salts. The sulphate, muriate, nitrate, 
thebolactate, and acetate have been produced by us,—these all crystallize in 
beautiful and distinct forms. 
The salts of cryptopia,—a name which we have given to the subject of this 
paper,—especially the muriate, have a remarkable tendency to form a jelly. In 
this tendency they are distinguished from all the other salts of the opium alkalis, 
and, so far as we are aware, from most of the other organic salts. The salts of 
aricina form, as far as we remember, the only example of the existence of such 
a character. If the muriate of cryptopia be dissolved in from ten to twenty 
parts of hot water, the solution sets into a crystalline mass on cooling ; but if 
the quantity of water should amount to about thirty parts, the liquid, on being 
set aside, instead of crystallizing, forms a jelly, which differs in appearance 
from pure gelatine only by being somewhat less transparent. If the jelly be 
now evaporated in a shallow vessel at a smart heat, it dries up into transparent 
* It must not, ill this connection, be overlooked that in none of the processes for obtaining' 
the different principles of opium are the chemical actions of a very powerful nature. They 
consist in a few precipitations, solutions in acids, not generally more than neutral, and, in 
addition, the use of various solvents, such as water, alcohol, and ether, and a moderate heat. 
When the principles, pure and in a separate state, (the remarkably ready change of meconic 
acid into comenic acid forming an exception) are subjected to such operations and con¬ 
ditions, the only result is a more or less great degeneration or destruction of the body.' When 
more powerful agents, such as strong acids, alkalis, chlorine, or a strong heat, are used, the 
principles of opium, like all other organic bodies, are changed into other substances almost 
endless in number. 
2 B. 2 
