fAm.  Joixr.  Pharm.  ] 
Mar.,  1881.  / 
Liquor  Opii  Sedativus. 
131 
and  lias  not  been  much  studied,  but  is  stated  to  be  one-fourth  as  strong 
;as  morphia.  (5)  Thebaine :  Excitant,  anesthetic,  not  soporific,  no 
effect  in  doses  of  seven  grains  ;  slightly  soluble  in  water.  (6)  Papa- 
verina:  Has  no  effect  in  doses  of  fifteen  grains.  (7)  Narcotina.  (8) 
Meconln.  (9)  lleeonic  Acid:  These  three  constituents  are  not  used 
in  medicine,  and  according,  to  the  authority  above  quoted,  as  also  Rabu- 
teau  and  Claude-Bernard,  are  inert  in  small  doses.  Narcotina  is  insolu- 
ble in  water.  (10)  Mesinous  and  odorous  principles  :  These  are  gener- 
ally believed  to  produce  unpleasant  effects.  They  are  only  partially 
soluble  in  water,  and  may  be  modified  and  partially  dissipated  by  boil- 
ing. Soubeiran  ("Traite  de  Pharmacie,"  i,  851)  has  shown  that  the 
proportion  of  water  put  in  contact  with  crude  opium  exercises  an  influ- 
'Cnce  on  the  solution  of  the  resinoicl  principles,  odorous  oil  and  nar- 
cotina. Perier  Bulletin  des  Travaux  de  la  Societe  de  Pharm.,''  Bour- 
deaux,  xiii,  245)  points  out  the  fact  that  the  quantity  of  water  has  an 
effect  ,  on  the  solution  of  these  principles,  a  large  quantity  precipitating 
the  resinous  matters,  and  a  concentrated  solution  having  the  opposite 
effect. 
From  these  statements  the  conclusion  may  be  drawn  that  a  liquor 
opii  tolerably  free  from  obnoxious  principles  may  be  made  by  prepar- 
ing an  aqueous  solution  of  opium,  concentrating  the  liquor  by  boiling, 
and  redissolving  the  resulting  extract.  Such  is  the  liquid  extract  of 
the  B.  P.,  but  in  order  to  effect  a  more  thorough  separation  of  narcotina, 
meconin,  meconic  acid,  resinous,  odorous  and  extractive  matters,  I 
would  recommend  that  the  process  be  repeated  several  times,  and  that 
the  resulting  liquor  be  assayed  for  morphia,  and  brought  finally  to  such 
a  measure  that  it  shall  show,  by  the  pharniacopoeial  test,  a  morphia 
strength  of  three  grains  to  the  ounce,  a  small  portion  of  spirit  being 
added  to  preserve  the  solution  from  mould  and  deterioration  by  age. 
That  a  liquor  so  prepared  will  be  identical  with  Battley's  solution 
we  have  the  assertion  of  Mr.  Battley  himself,  who  assured  the  late  Mr. 
Pereira  Pereira.  Mat.  Med.,"  vol.  ii,  part  ii,  p.  2135)  that  the 
only  ingredients  employed  in  the  preparation  of  his  liquor  oj^ii  seda- 
tivus were  opium,  water  and  heat."  From  my  own  experience  I  feel 
justified  in  affirming  that,  with  careful  manipulation,  it  is  possible  to 
produce  a  preparation  identical  with  that  of  Battley,  by  simply  follow- 
ing the  process  above  indicated,  but  the  estimation  of  the  morphia 
should  be  particularly  insisted  on.  For  the  assay  of  the  solution  most 
of  the  published  ]:)rocesses  will  afford  satisfactory  results,  provided  the 
