126 
LIQUOR  OPII  COMPOSITUS. 
its  active  soluble  character,  and  that  the  salt  is  of  a  very  fixed 
nature. 
The  writer  performed  parallel  experiments  with  these  solu- 
tions, in  which  a  similar  part  of  the  same  solution  was  in  one 
case  boiled  down  rapidly  over  a  naked  flame,  and  in  the  other 
was  evaporated  at  a  low  temperature  by  a  vapor  bath.  An 
assay  of  the  resulting  preparations  exhibited  no  material  difference 
in  the  morphia  strength,  while  the  preparation  made  by  rapid 
boiling  was  much  less  loaded  with  coloring  matter,  and  had  a 
lighter  specific  gravity.  Other  experiments  were  made  wherein 
the  extract  was  dried  and  powdered  each  time,  and  was  in  one 
case  repeatedly  redissolved  and  evaporated  to  dryness,  with  the 
view  of  completely  oxidising  the  resinoid  matters  to  render  them 
insoluble,  but  it  was  evident  that  no  advantage  was  gained. 
From  these  experiments,  although  made  with  different  parcels  of 
the  drug,  it  is  easy  to  get  up  what  may  be  a  useful  rational 
formula  for  the  commercial  drug  in  its  best  form. 
Exhausted  residue,  not  thoroughly  dried,        31  per  cent., 
Watery  extract,  "  "  43  " 
Water,  26  « 
100 
The  best  specimen  of  opium  the  writer  has  ever  examined  was 
the  single  pound  quoted  in  the  table  of  the  preceding  paper.  It 
consisted  of 
Imperfectly  dried  residue,  30*7  per  cent., 
44  "     aqueous  extract,  45*5  " 
Water,  23-8  « 
100 
The  aqueous  extract  of  this  specimen  consists  of 
Imperfectly  dried  extract  insoluble  in  alchol,         30  per  cent., 
"  "  "in  water  the 
second  time.  1-2  « 
Morphia,  35-8  « 
Coloring  matter  and  other  constituents  soluble 
both  in  alcohol  and  water,  and  insoluble  in 
ether,  33  « 
100 
