Am.  Jour.  Pbarm. 
July,  1897. 
Notes  on  Opium  Assaying. 
343 
Acidulated  Water  Extract. — The  root  yielded  1-17  per  cent,  of 
organic  solids  to  water  acidulated  with  hydrochloric  acid.  Pararabin 
was  present.  The  next  treatment  was  with  boiling  acidulated  water, 
but  the  extract  was  not  worked. 
Starch. — This  constituent  was  determined  on  a  separate  portion 
of  the  original  root.  Two  determinations  were  made  ;  one  showed 
11  38  per  cent.,  the  other  11*43  Per  cent. — an  average  of  11-40  per 
cent. 
Treatment  of  the  residue  from  the  boiling  with  acidulated  water 
with  chlorine  water,  produced  a  loss  which  indicated  20- 1 8  per  cent, 
of  lignin. 
The  residue  from  this  treatment  was  ignited.  The  loss  indicated 
47-40  per  cent,  of  cellulose  and  allied  substances.  Moisture  was 
found  in  the  root  to  the  extent  of  5-06  per  cent.  The  amount  of 
ash  was  1-24  per  cent.  A  qualitative  analysis  of  the  ash  showed 
the  presence  of  the  following  : 
Water  dissolved  16  16  per  cent,  of  the  ash.  The  solution  con- 
tained aluminum  and  potassium  combined  with  hydrochloric  and 
sulphuric  acids.  Hydrochloric  acid  dissolved  33-14  per  cent,  of  the 
ash.  The  solution  contained  calcium,  magnesium,  aluminum,  iron 
and  manganese  combined  with  phosphoric  acid.  The  remainder  of 
the  ash  consisted  of  adhering  soil. 
NOTES  ON  OPIUM  ASSAYING.1 
BY  FRANK  X.  M0ERK,  PH.G. 
For  several  years  past  the  writer  has  adopted  certain  procedures 
in  assaying  gum  opium,  the  results  of  which  were  expected  to  assist 
in  perfecting  this  assay  process. 
The  sample  of  gum  opium  received  for  analysis  is  weighed  and 
dried  for  about  twelve  hours  at  80-850  C;  drying  is  facilitated  by  cut- 
ting the  sample  into  pieces  about  the  size  of  cherries  before  weighing. 
The  loss  in  weight  is  noted,  and  the  partly  dried  opium  is  coarsely 
powdered  and  thoroughly  mixed ;  of  this,  2  grammes  are  taken  for 
the  residual  moisture  estimation,  and  8  grammes  for  the  morphine 
estimation,  according  to  the  U.S. P.  The  latter  quantity,  as  a  rule^ 
corresponds  very  closely  to  10  grammes  moist  opium  ;  the  exact  quan- 
^^Read  at  the  meeting  of  the  Pennsylvania  Pharmaceutical  Association,  June 
22,  1897. 
