24  ON  METAMORPHIA  A  NEW  ALKALOID  OF  OPIUM. 
0^^"  METAMORPHIA,  A  NEW  ALKALOID  OF  OPIUM. 
By  Dr.  G.  C.  Wittstein. 
The  following  eighfc  alkaloids  have  uatil  the  present  time  been 
found  in  opium  : 
Formula.  Equiv. 
Morphia  C3,H,gN0g  285 
Narcotina  C^qR.^^'NO^^  427 
Codcina  CggH^iNOg  299 
Thebaina  (Paramorphia)  C^gH^^NOg  311 
Narceina  C^gH.gNO^g  463 
Pseudomorphia  C27H9NO7  241 
Opiania  CggHg^N.^Ogi  628 
Papaverina  C^oH^iNOg  339 
I  have  obtained  from  opium  an  organic  body  of  basic  proper- 
ties, differing  from  the  eight  just  named,  and  which  is  there- 
fore the  ninth  alkaloid.  Being  in  its  behaviour  nearest  allied  to 
morphia,  I  propose  for  it  the  name  of  metamorphia,  which  would 
be  even  more  justified,  if  it  could  be  proved,  that  the  alkaloid  is 
a  product  of  decomposition  of  morphia. 
Mr.  Scharf,  pharmaceutist  in  Munich^  attempted  to  prepare 
morphia  bj  Mohr's  method  with  lime  from  the  residue  of 
laudanum,  but  hesitated  to  dispense  the  product,  as  it  was  not 
precipitated  by  ammonia  from  its  solution  in  acids.  The  dirty 
yellow  needles,  rather  less  than  a  drachm,  were  handed  to  me 
about  two  years  ago,  but  not  until  last  summer  did  I  find  time 
for  investigation.  By  recrystallization  and  drying,  35  grs.  of 
fine  white  silky  needles,  resembling  wavellite,  were  obtained  ; 
they  were  free  of  lime  and  consisted  of  the  hydrochlorate. 
They  w^ere  dissolved  by  two  parts  of  boiling  water,  25  p.  water 
at  ordinary  temperature  ;  the  solution  is  neutral,  and  has  a  strong 
and  purely  bitter  taste.  90  per  cent,  alcohol  dissolves  at 
ordinary  temperature  L  at  the  boiling  point  half  of  the  salt, 
which  is  insoluble  in  ether.  The  salt  is  rapidly  and  completely 
dissolved  by  alkalies  and  their  carbonates,  colored  blue,  some- 
what greyish,  by  sesquichloride  of  iron,  and  dirty  red  when 
heated  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid.  The  solution  produces 
a  reddish  yellow  flocculent  precipitate  vfith  terchloride  of  gold, 
a  light  yellow  flocculent  precipitate  with  bichloride  of  platinum, 
