62 ON THE EXTRACTION OF MORPHIA. 
less; to render it more pure it may be dissolved in hydrochlo- 
ric acid, then boiled .with milk of lime, and the filtered liquor 
precipitated by sal ammoniac. A. G. V. 
Journ. de Pharm. 
ART. XIII.— SELECTIONS FROM LASSAIGNE'S DICTION- 
NAIRE DES REACTIFS— No. 1. 
Translated by Augustine Duhamel. 
Acetate of Morphia. 
This salt, prepared by saturating weak acetic acid with pure 
morphia, and evaporating the solution to dryness, is presented 
in a grayish white mass, amorphous, granular, pulverulent, and 
of a disagreeable bitter taste ; by spontaneous evaporation in a 
stove this salt may be obtained crystallized in fascicular nee- 
dles. It is in the first form that it is met with in the shops 
for medicinal use. 
Acetate of morphia is soluble in water and alcohol, but 
when evaporated to dryness, or has been a long time exposed 
to the air, it has lost a part of its acid, and does not then re- 
dissolve totally in water except a few drops of acid be added 
to it. 
Composition. It is generally supposed to be formed like 
other neutral salts w T ith organic basis, of one atom of acid 
united to one of morphia ; consequently 100 parts contain, 
Acetic Acid, 13.72 or 1 atom. 
Morphia, 86.28 " 1 " 
100. 
Its formula is Mo A. 
Distinctive characters. 1st. Exposed to heat, acetate of 
morphia melts, puffs up a great deal, blackens and gives out an 
abundant smoke of an empyreumatic odor. The shining spongy 
