224 
TITRATED  OPIUM  EXTRACT — SVAPNIA. 
made  some  experiments,  chiefly  with  the  view  of  forming  an  es- 
timate of  its  value  as  a  pharmaceutical  preparation,  and  in  doing 
this  extended  our  research  into  an  assay  of  its  morphia  strength. 
Whilst  thus  engaged,  the  following  communication  was  received 
from  Dr.  Bigelow,  which  we  presume  was  intended  for  publica- 
tion, and  before  proceeding  further  our  readers  should  hear  the 
views  of  the  author  of  Svapnia. 
Detroit,  March  29th,  1869. 
Prof.  Procter  : — 
Dear  Sir, — In  your  notice  of  Svapnia  (editorial,  pp.  186,  187, 
Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.),  you  say  that  if  the  manufacturers  can  keep  the 
composition  uniform,  and  it  can  do  what  is  claimed  for  it,  it  will  certainly 
merit  attention,  and  then  that  "  the  morphia  strength  should  be  given." 
In  reply,  1  would  state  that  the  preparation  does  not  exclusively  repre- 
sent morphia,  nor  depend  entirely  upon  it  for  the  hypnotic  and  anodyne 
properties  of  which  it  is  possessed  ;  therefore,  neither  the  effects  nor  the 
dose  can  be  made  to  correspond  with  that  of  morphia.*  In  the  first  place, 
in  the  preparation  of  svapnia,  the  alkaloids  morphia,  codeia  and  narceia, 
possessing  solubilities  of  different  degrees  and  in  different  menstrua,  are 
separated  from  the  other  alkaloids,  especially  thebaina  (paramorphia) 
and  the  other  constituents  of  opium,  without  deranging  the  natural  com- 
binations in  which  they  exist.  These  are  concentrated  to  a  fixed  stan- 
dard of  measure,  that  is  the  menstruum  is  entirely  evaporated,  and  the 
exact  proportion  of  the  alkaloids  determined  by  assay.  After  the  assay, 
inert  soluble  matter  is  added,  sufficient  to  bring  the  whole  equal  to  opium 
of  a  nine  per  cent,  morphiometrical  standard,  this  standard  being  found 
in  practice  to  be  the  most  practicable  and  by  means  of  which  its  effects 
most  nearly  compare  with  opium  weight  for  weight. 
It  is  very  probable  that  codeia  and  narceia  in  different  samples  of 
opium  vary  to  a  certain  degree,  but  the  difficulties  and  complications  of 
a  perfectly  reliable  quantitative  analysis  have  hitherto  prevented  us  from 
making  it,  and  we  have,  therefore,  asssumed  that  when  the  crude  opium 
from  which  we  manufacture  svapnia  is  deficient  in  morphia,  it  holds  good 
also  in  nearly  the  same  degree  with  regard  to  codeia  and  narceia,  and  its 
strength  is  therefore  regulated  by  the  amount  of  the  combined  alkaloids 
found  in  the  assay. 
In  reply  to  the  regret  that  so  costly  a  medicine  as  opium  should  be 
rendered  more  so  by  its  being  made  a  speciality,  allow  us  to  say  that 
the  charges  with  which  we  arraign  opium  are  fundamental  and  serious. 
1st.  Its  extreme  variability  in  the  constituents  upon  which  its  value  de- 
pends. Dr.  Squibb,  in  your  Journal,  tells  us  that  it  varies  from  2*  to  21* 
percent,  nearly.    As  long  as  the  drug  and  prescription  trade  continues 
*  Since  writing  the  foregoing,  I  have  received  the  transacting  of  the  Am.  Pharm.  Ass.  for 
1868,  and  I  find  I  am  corroborated  in  my  views  of  this  matter  by  the  report  of  the  Committee 
on  the  "Progress  of  Pharmacy."  They  say  that  it  is  the  prevailing  opinion  among  the 
members  of  the  Brit.  Pharm.  Conf.  that  either  the  preparations  of  opium  should  conform 
in  strength  to  morphia,  or  that  morphia  should  be  substituted  for  opium. 
Morphia  cannot  take  the  place  of  opium,  else  it  would  have  been  done  long  ago,  on 
account  of  its  beautiful  preparation,  equable  strength  and  convenience  in  prescription. 
Mr.  Deihl,  the  Chairman,  most  truly  and  pointedly  remarks  that  "  the  question  demands 
great  caution  and  thorough  investigation  before  a  definite  conclusion  can  be  arrived  at. 
It  certainly  does  not  appear  judicious  to  graduate 'the  strength  of  opium  preparations  by 
the  amount  of  morphia  it  may  contain,  for  it  contains  besides  a  large  number  of  other 
active  principles  which  of  necessity  play  an  important  part  in  its  therapeutical  action." 
