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Estimation  of  Morphine  in  Pills,  Etc.  {Am- ^ 
Several  other  samples  of  morphine  sulphate  and  morphine  alka- 
loid gave  equally  good  results.  A  large  number  of  pills  and  tablets 
assayed  by  this  method  gave  results  approximating  closely  the  theo- 
retical content. 
The  advantages  of  this  method  are  accuracy,  simplicity,  and 
shortness  of  time  required  for  completion,  duplicate  assays  being 
easily  completed  inside  of  two  hours,  except  when,  owing  to  the 
presence  of  sugar  or  gummy  matter  in  the  sample,  slight  emulsions 
may  form,  requiring  a  little  more  time  for  separation,  although  this 
can  usually  be  prevented  by  keeping  the  aqueous  portion  to  as  small 
a  volume  as  possible. 
Since  December,  1909,  nearly  one  hundred  assays  by  this  method 
have  been  made  by  the  writer  and  so  far  practically  no  trouble  has 
been  experienced.  Of  course,  this  method  is  available  only  where 
the  morphine  is  not  combined  with  other  alkaloids,  the  identity  of 
the  alkaloid  being  taken  for  granted,  but  as  a  check  on  the  manu- 
facture of  pills,  tablets,  etc.,  it  has  given  good  results. 
,  A  comparison  of  results  obtained  by  the  two  methods  follows. 
10  C.C.  OF  A  2  PER  CENT.  SOLUTION   MORPHINE  SULPHATE. 
By  Alcohol-chloroform  Method. 
I  0.1984  Gm.  morphine  sulphate  =  99.2  per  cent. 
77   0.1976  Gm.  morphine  sulphate  =  98.8  per  cent. 
By  Phenyl-Ethyl  Alcohol  and  Benzene  Method. 
A   =0.1827  Gm.  =  91.35  per  cent. 
B   =0.1919  Gm.  =  95.95  per  cent. 
The  solution  containing  1  Gm.  morphine  alkaloid  and  50  c.c. 
n/io  acid  in  100  c.c.  gave  by  direct  titration  0.0981  Gm.  morphine 
alkaloid  in  10  c.c.  and  by  extraction. 
By  alcohol-chloroform.  By  phenyl -ethyl-alcohol  &  B.  mod. 
1  0.09812  Gm.  =98.12  per  cent   \ 
tt  n  >.  *  4.  1  =0.08729  Gm.  =  87.29  per  cent. 
II  0.09752  Gm.  =  97.52  per  cent          J  /  y  '   *  v 
Time  required  for  phenyl-ethyl  alcohol  method,  4  to  7  hours. 
Time  required  for  alcohol-chloroform  method,  2  to  3  hours. 
Analytical  Department,  Parke,  Davis  &  Co.,  Detroit,  Mich. 
