LIQUOR  OPII  SEDATIVUS. 
161 
The  filtered  liquid,  additioned  with  sp.  vin.  rejt.  J  ss,  formed 
liq.  opii  sed.  No.  1. 
The  resinoid  precipitate,  dissolved  in  sp.  vin.  rect.  and  acidu- 
lated with  hydrochloric  acid,  was  mixed  with  water,  then  heated 
to  expel  sp.  vin.  rect.,  and,  when  cold,  filtered.  The  filtrate, 
containing  all  the  principles  soluble  in  acidulated  water,  reacted 
as  follows : — Perchloride  of  iron  caused  an  intense  red  colora- 
tion, indicative  of  meconic  acid ;  ammonia,  a  permanent  precip- 
itate completely  soluble  in  ether. 
The  ethereal  solution,  spontaneously  evaporated,  left  a  pale 
amorphous  residue,  that  after  treatment  with  sp.  vin.  rect.,  etc., 
gave  an  abundant  crop  of  tufty  and  stellar  crystals,  with  some 
polarizers  of  oblong  figure.  It  seems  clear,  therefore,  that 
proof  spirit  dissolves  more  meconic  acid,  narcotina,  and  narceia 
than  does  a  similar  bulk  of  pure  water. 
Liquor  No.  1,  evaporated  on  a  glass  slip  side  by  side  with 
Battley's,  gave  a  microscopic  figure  very  different  from,  and  far 
inferior  to  it. 
Both  liquors  had  an  acid  reaction  with  litmus  paper.  Two 
drachms  of  each  of  them  and  of  laudanum  were  separately 
evaporated  to  dryness,  and  the  residues  calcined  under  the  same 
circumstances. 
1.  Battley's  liquor  gave  *4  gr. 
2.  No.  1  A  trace. 
3.  Laudanum  -05  gr. 
The  ash  of  Battley's  liquor  consisted  of  sulphate  and  carbo- 
nate of  lime,  and  its  washing  water  was  neutral  in  reaction.  The 
ash  of  the  laudanum  consisted  of  deliquescent  carbonate  of 
potash  and  a  lime  salt. 
Liquor  No.  2  was  made  by  boiling  gently  for  half  an  hour 
two  drachms  of  crude  opium  in  two  ounces  of  water,  neutraliz- 
ing the  acidity  of  the  decoction  with  milk  of  lime  at  the  end  of 
that  time.  The  fluid,  thrown  on  a  filter,  was  wash'ed  up  to  fif- 
teen drachms  ;  then  five  drachms  of  sp.  vin.  rect.,  and  four  drops 
of  dilute  sulphuric  acid  were  added.  The  use  of  lime  and  sul- 
phuric acid  was  indicated  by  the  composition  of  the  ash  of  Batt- 
ley's preparation. 
The  liquor  gave  a  good  yield  of  microscopic  crystals,  but  less 
11 
