4 
Original Communications. 
solution was allowed to stand till it became cold, and then 
neutralized with magnesia ; the precipitate was thrown on a 
filter, washed with cold distilled water, and dried ; it was 
next boiled in three ounces of alcohol 35°, and the solution 
filtered while hot ; as it cooled, crystals were deposited, which 
w T hen dried, weighed 41 grains ; by testing they proved to be 
morphia, producing, with nitric acid, a deep orange red so- 
lution. 
The mother liquor, by evaporation, yielded a crystalline 
mass, weighing 29 grains, of a dirty nankeen colour ; by a 
second solution in alcohol, and crystallizing, they yielded 23 
grains, much less coloured ; they proved to be morphia. The 
magnesian precipitate was again boiled in half an ounce of 
alcohol ; the filtered solution yielded 4 grains of morphia. 
In order to be satisfied whether any morphia remained in 
the ammoniacal liquor, it was evaporated to one-half, and one 
drachm of water of ammonia added ; after standing some 
time, a thin crust formed on the bottom of the vessel ; this 
was removed and purified with alcohol; it yielded 7 grains, 
making in all, 75 grains of morphia. This was twice washed 
with sulphuric ether, in order to free it from narcotine ; it 
then weighed, when dried, 69 grains. 
The mass which remained after exhaustion with water, 
was submitted to the action of alcohol, the maceration being 
assisted by the heat of a water bath, kept at the temperature 
of from 130° to 150°; the first portion of alcohol was de- 
canted, and another added; finally, the marc was washed 
I with alcohol until it ceased to yield colour; the several 
tinctures were mixed and evaporated; at first an oily substance 
was deposited ; after that a resinous extract. The first was in- 
soluble in water, soluble in ether, having an unctuous, sticky 
feel ; the second portion, partly soluble in alcohol 39°; the 
rest insoluble in ether, but soluble in boiling water ; nothing of 
a crystalline nature was procured from the alcoholic extract. 
The marc was next digested in ether ; the solution when 
filtered and evaporated, deposited, first, a slightly coloured 
unctuous matter, resembling caoutchouc ; secondly, crystals 
nearly free from colour, producing a yellow solution with ni- 
