PREPARATIONS OF OPIUM. 
211 
less labor to dry opium for the purpose of making laudanum 
when it is in a moist condition, but there is no excuse for 
not allowing for the water it contains. If 100 grains of the 
moss, representing the exterior and interior, be carefully 
dried over a lamp or stove, the number of grains of loss 
will indicate the per centage of moisture. Then by a 
simple rule of proportion, the condition of the opium can 
be arrived at. Suppose the loss is 9 grains, and the 
operator desires the weight of moist opium for a gallon of 
laudanum, proceed thus: as 91 grs. (the dry opium in 100 
grs. of the moist,) is to 100 grs., so is 4800 grs. (10 oz.) to 
5275 grains, or very nearly 11 ounces. 
Another serious source of variation in this class of prepa- 
rations is the use of avoirdupois instead of troy ounces, 
making a difference of one-eleventh. Even this reduction, 
which is as frequently the result of oversight as design, is 
not as serious in its consequences as that which arises from 
a deliberate depreciation of the quantity of opium with a 
view of lowering the price of the tincture per ounce. A distil- 
ler may make alcohol with any amount of water he pleases, 
but when the inspector examines it, he decides its value by its 
alcoholic strength, and the buyer is not deceived, but it is 
very different with a medicine on the action of which life 
may hang. Before the Drug Law was in operation, we 
recollect an instance where opium, containing but 2 per 
cent, of morphia, was bought up by a retailer for conversion 
into laudanum, and the mere fact that it was sold as, and 
had the apparent qualities of opium, was sufficient to satisfy 
his mind, although the price paid for it was not one third 
of the value of good opium. 
The law for the prevention of the importation of 
adulterated drugs, medicines and chemicals, which is 
now in force at our custom houses, will, if properly 
inforced, in a great degree, prevent the introduction 
of bad opium. We have understood that the inspec- 
tors have assumed 9 per cent, of morphia as the strength 
necessary to pass the drug, and if carried out faithfully, 
