210 
PREPARATIONS OF OPIUM. 
ART. L.— ON THE IMPORTANCE OF A MORE CONSCIEN- 
TIOUS ATTENTION TO UNIFORMITY OF STRENGTH IN 
THE PREPARATIONS OF OPIUM. 
In some remarks by M. Chevallier, published in the 
Journal de Pharmacie for January, the importance of a 
more general and thorough attention to the strength of the 
preparations of opium was shown to be necessary. He 
says that three kinds of opium are used in France : 
Smyrna, Constantinople and Egyptian, in which the mor- 
phia varies from four to ten per cent. The Codex directs 
selected opium (opium choisi) without specifying the com- 
mercial variety, but says M. Chevallier, will the pharma- 
ceutist select Smyrna, or Constantinople, or Egyptian? 
Assuming that he choses the first or strongest, the qua- 
lity of the article varies from several causes. 1st, In the 
amount of moisture which varies from 5 to 25 per cent, at 
least, according to the age and original moistness of the 
drug, 2d, To the extent of adulteration, as it is presumed 
that the pure exudation rarely, if ever, enters general com- 
merce. The value of this opium, as indicated by the per 
cenlage of morphia, is shown to be very variable, as it 
containsfrom 2 or 3 to 10 or 12 per cent., as observed in 
this city, although it is rare to meet with a weaker opium 
than 5 or 6 per cent. If it were possible to base the pro- 
portion of opium in its preparations on its morphia strength, 
no difficulty would be experienced, but unfortunately a 
rapid, easy and reliable process for the extraction of mor- 
phia is yet a desideratum. 
The French Codex says nothing in reference to the hy- 
grometric condition of the opium. The United States 
Pharmacopoeia, by directing the opium in its preparations 
to be in powder or coarse powder, guards against this 
source of variation. But unfortunately, little regard is 
had to this recommendation — the opium is used in the 
stale it is found, at the time it is wanted, without regard to 
as dryness. It must be acknowledged that it seems a use- 
