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PRODUCTION  OF  OPIUM  NEAR  BERLIN. 
apex  was  made  with  the  precaution  not  to  cut  through  the  inner 
integument  of  the  capsule.  From  many  experiments  Karsten 
found  the  spiral  incision  the  most  profitable  ;  a  horizontal  circu- 
lar incision  about  one-third  above  the  base  yields  nearly  the  same 
amount  of  milky  juice  ;  numerous  vertical  incisions  are  ob- 
jectionable. The  knife  used  for  this  purpose  was  protected  just 
above  the  point  by  twine  or  by  a  rag,  to  prevent  it  from  penetrat- 
ing into  the  interior  cavity.  After  a  few  minutes  the  juice  was 
removed  with  the  finger  into  a  suitable  vessel  and  subsequently 
inspissated  by  means  of  a  water  bath  ;  a  second  incision  after  a 
few  days  proved  unsuccessful. 
This  opium  yielded  two-thirds  of  its  weight  to  distilled  water 
and  contained  10  per  cent,  morphia.  Of  the  same  quality  was 
opium  obtained  by  Hermes  near  Hermsdorf,  from  the  giant  poppy 
cultivated  as  stated  above.  R.  Schulze,  of  Pankow,  obtained 
from  the  same  poppy,  opium,  one-half  of  which  was  soluble  in 
water,  and  which  yielded  likewise  10  per  cent,  of  morphia. 
The  author  obtained  the  opium  made  at  the  latter  place  in 
1867,  and  described  it  as  hard,  tough,  of  a  grey-brown  color, 
similar  to  German  lactucarium,  somewhat  shining  and  made  up 
in  part  of  tears  of  the  size  of  a  pea  and  smaller  ;  it  was  with 
difficulty  rubbed  into  a  light  grey  powder  ;  its  odor  was  stronger 
than  that  of  Smyrna  opium,  reminding  somewhat  of  lactucarium  ; 
taste  like  that  of  the  best  opium.  The  tincture  was  scarcely 
one-third  as  dark  as  if  made  from  Smyrna  opium.  Fifteen  grm. 
yielded,  to  cold  distilled  water,  7*41  grm.=  49  per  cent,  soluble 
constituents,  from  which  alcohol  precipitated  1*41  grm.=  9*4  per 
cent,  gummy  matter  and  salts.  I'he  filtrate  treated  with 
ammonia  yielded  in  ten  days  1*63  grm. =  10*9  per  cent,  crystals 
of  morphia.  The  residue  left,  by  water,  yielded  to  alcohol  7  per 
cent,  resinous  matter,  and  to  chloroform  14  per  cent,  of  a  caout- 
chouc like  mass. 
The  results  are  satisfactory,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  with 
continued  practical  and  theoretical  observations  the  yield  of  a 
still  richer  opium  may  be  expected,  like  the  rational  culture  of 
the  cinchonas  in  the  East  Indies  produces  bark  richer  in  alka- 
loids, particularly  quinia,  than  the  South  American. 
The  author  appeals  to  apothecaries  and  agricultural  schools  to 
