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TITRATED  OPIUM  EXTRACT— SVAPNIA. 
and  on  the  knowledge  thus  obtained  this  extract  is  diluted 
with  inert  soluble  matter  until  its  strength  is  reduced  to  that  of 
opium  of  a  9  per-cent  morphiometrical  standard.  But  in  the 
next  paragraph,  granting  that  the  codeia  and  narceia  vary  in 
proportion  like  morphia,  Dr.  B.  thinks  this  variation  sufficiently- 
uniform  with  that  of  morphia  to  regulate  the  strength  of  svapnia 
by  the  amount  of  all  the  alkaloids  combined.  Here  is  at  once  a 
cause  of  variability,  inasmuch  as  abundant  evidence  exists  of 
the  unequal  proportions  in  which  these  alkaloids  are  secreted  in 
poppy  juice. 
What  is  said  in  regard  to  the  variableness  of  opium  as  an 
argument  for  uniformity  in  svapnia  is  granted,  but  the  range  of 
percentages  quoted  from  Dr.  Squibb  does  not  represent  the  regu- 
lar market — but  the  history  of  opium  past  and  present.  We 
also  grant  that  our  argument  against  the  price  of  svapnia  applies 
equally  to  other  improved  preparations  of  opium,  but  not  as  we 
intended  to  explain  it,  and  as  we  hope  hereafter  to  do. 
The  argument  for  keeping  svapnia  a  speciality  has  a  cer- 
tain degree  of  merit ; — it  is  true  that  novelties  in  pharmacy, 
even  good  novelties,  are  imitated  by  the  unskilful^  and  for  a  time, 
especially  if  the  manufacture  is  difficult,  some  public  advantage 
may  accrue  from  this  primary  uniformity,  but  we  argue  that  in 
drugs  like  opium,  or  cinchona,  or  ipecac,  all  should  be  open  and 
untrammelled  in  pharmacy.  Did  Sertiirner  patent  morphia  ? 
or  Pelletier  and  Caventon  quinia  and  strychnia?  But  in  these 
views  business  men  do  not  care  to  enter.  Finally,  as  a  rebuttal 
of  the  charge  of  increased  cost,  Dr.  Bigelow  argues  the  price  of 
svapnia  is  much  cheaper  than  that  of  morphia,  and  says  : — 
"  One  grain  of  svapnia  being  equivalent  in  anodyne  power  to  one- 
third  of  a  grain  of  morphia,  and  yet  svapnia  is  three  fourths  less 
in  price  than  morphia  ! 
To  reply  to  this  let  us  return  to  our  experiments  and  see  what 
answer  they  have  elicited. 
Fifty  grains  of  svapnia  triturated  with  two  fluidounces  of 
water  formed  a  cloudy  mucilaginous  solution,  possessing  a  decided 
though  mild  odor  of  opium.  This  was  thrown  into  12  fluid- 
drachms  of  95  per  cent,  alcohol,  which  occasioned  a  bulky 
whitish  flocculent  precipitate,  in  a  light  brown  liquid  which  re- 
