1 64  Deodorized  Opium  and  Tincture.      { Am^i; 5osfrrn- 
We  will  now  consider  and  analyze  Professor  Patch's  investiga- 
tions. His  objections  to  the  use  of  benzin  are  :  First,  that  it  does 
not  remove  narcotine ;  second,  its  uncertain  character,  its  low  range 
of  solvent  power  and  its  disagreeable  odor. 
In  answer  to  the  first  objection  that  the  benzin  does  not  remove 
the  narcotine:  This,  in  the  writer's  opinion,  is  the  very  reason 
why  benzin  should  be  used,  for  he  believes  that  narcotine  should 
not  be  extracted,  as  it  is  not  a  noxious,  but  a  most  beneficial  prin- 
ciple of  opium ;  it  is  not  narcotic,  but  a  pure  stimulant  tonic,  and 
is  the  very  principle  which  prevents  the  depression  that  always 
occurs  when  morphine  is  administered  alone.  The  writer  has  at 
different  times  administered  to  himself  narcotine  which  he  has  pre- 
pared and  knew  to  be  perfectly  free  from  any  of  the  other  principles 
contained  in  opium.  This  pure  narcotine  he  has  taken  in  doses  of 
from  one  to  three  grains,  every  hour,  until  a  dozen  or  more  doses 
were  taken,  and  the  effect  has  always  been  that  of  a  stimulant 
tonic,  free  from  any  narcotism. 
To  the  second  objection  of  Professor  Patch,  the  uncertain  charac- 
ter of  benzin,  its  low  range  of  solvent  power  and  its  disagreeable 
odor,  we  have  the  following  to  offer : 
The  benzin  of  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia,  as  to  its  official 
title,  is  unfortunate,  for  the  reason  that  the  on!y  articles  that  are 
obtainable  in  the  market  under  the  name  of  benzin  are  the  napthas 
of  low  specific  gravity,  ranging  from  0-798  to  0-723,  very  impure, 
having  a  strong  and  disagreeable  odor,  and  principally  used  in  the 
arts  for  painting.  The  Pharmacopoeia  defines  benzin  as  a  transpar- 
ent, colorless,  diffusive  liquid,  of  a  strong,  characteristic  odor, 
slightly  resembling  that  of  petroleum,  but  much  less  disagreeable, 
and  having  a  neutral  reaction,  specific  gravity  0-670  to  0-675. 
The  only  products  that  meet  the  requirement  of  the  Pharmaco- 
poeia are  the  best  of  the  higher  gravities  of  gasolines,  which  are 
known  in  the  market  as  870  and  88°  Baume,  the  specific  gravity  of 
which  ranges  from  0-650  to  0-645.  The  existing  difficulty  of  obtain, 
ing  these*  light  products  is  that  they  are  not  on  sale  in  the  market 
in  less  quantities  than  barrel  packages.  This  condition  of  things 
would  be  changed  if  a  demand  were  made,  for  the  wholesale  drug 
trade  would  then  keep  these  grades  for  sale,  as  they  do  now  a 
gasoline  of  670  Baume  (sp.  gr.  0-7 1 6),  known  as  stove  gasoline, 
which  is,  however,  not  of  such  quality  and  purity  as  to  fit  it  for  use 
in  the  deodorization  of  opium. 
