238 
MILKY JUICE OF THE LETTUCE AND THE POPPY. 
ing substance, oxalic acid, and various salts. In the year 1844, 
he sent fifty kilogrammes of solid lactucarium procured by himself 
to the exhibition at Paris. 
The poppies were cultivated in rows, and the capsules cut as 
soon as they were perfectly developed. The collected juice was 
daily dried in the sun. On examining the various samples, Auber- 
gier obtained the following results : — 
KIND OF POPPIES. 
Opium from the white 
poppy 
Ditto 
Opium from the pur- 
ple-red poppy . . 
Opium from the white 
p°ppy 
Ditto 
Ditto 
Opium from the pur- 
ple-red poppy . 
Ditto 
Ditto 
Opium from the oil- 
poppy (Pavot oeil- 
lettes) 
Ditto .... 
Period of 
Gathering. 
Weight 
of the 
Opium 
after 
being 
dried in 
vacuo 
at 
2l2° F. 
Loss in 
Water. 
Morphia ob- 
tained from 
25 Grains of 
Opium. 
Quantity of 
Morphia cal- 
culated from 
ioO pans of 
Opium, con- 
taining 7-60 
per cent of 
Water. The 
Normal 
Quantity ac- 
cording to 
Payen. 
1844. 
July 5, 11 
11 17,20 
90.52 
92.53 
9.48 
7.67 
2.100 
0.380 
8.570i5 
1.52016 
" 10, 13 
90.61 
9.39 
2.640 
10.690 
1845 
July 2 
" 28 
Aug. 13 
88.42 
88.55 
89.02 
11.58 
11.45 
10.98 
1.588 
1.329 
0.777 
6.630 
5.530 
3.270 
July 21 
26 
" 16 
88.40 
87.09 
89.05 
11.60 
12.91 
10.95 
2.659 
2.517 
2.919 
10.370 
10.694 
13.230 
" 29, 30 
Aug. 21 
88.29 
86 69 
11.71 
13.31 
4.260 
3.482 
17.833 
14.780 
This table shows that the first crop of 1844 contained more 
morphia than of 1845, and the reason is, that in the first case, 
round poppy heads were cultivated together with long ones, which 
latter contained more alkaloid. The decrease in the proportion 
of morphia in the three crops of the white poppies in 1845, is in 
consequence of the advanced ripeness, and the statement that the 
collection should be commenced when the green color is beginning 
to change into yellow, cannot therefore be correct. 
If the incision be made into the external part only of the peri- 
carp, the seeds ripen, and oil may be manufactured from them, but 
if the incision be made quite through the pericarp, the ripening of 
