144 
ON INDIA OPIUM. 
2d. Process. — This is directed chiefly to theprocural of the 
muriate of morphia. The first steps of washing and separa- 
tion of the meconin and narcotine are the same in both. The 
solution of the watery extract A. 1, is precipitated by muriate 
of lime, and the precipitate removed by filtration. The filtered 
liquid is next rendered neutral by adding some powdered 
chalk, then evaporated to the consistence of a syrup and set 
aside. In twenty-four hours it becomes a crystalline mass, 
which must be compressed between numerous folds of Naipal 
paper and coarse cloth. The crystals of muriate of morphia 
are purified by digestion with animal charcoal and water, and 
by three or four successive solutions in, and crystallizations 
from, hot water. The salt is then dried at 150°. It still con- 
tains codeia ; and is, indeed, the preparations from which this 
substance is obtained. 
By adding ammonia to the muriate, all the morphia is pre- 
cipitated, and the muriate and codeia remains dissolved. On 
evaporating this nearly to dryness and adding a solution of 
pure potash, the codeia is precipitated in flakes which crystal- 
lize from a hot alcoholic solution. 
The remaining steps accord with those described in the first 
process. The alkali narceia can only be separated by operat- 
ing on a much larger quantity of opium than can be properly 
sacrificed in a public establishment. 
Many other processes have been recommended from time 
to time for the examination of opium. Boiling the solution of 
crude opium with magnesia, was the method usually adopted 
in the Behar factory. A solid precipitate was formed, con- 
taining meconate of magnesia, narcotine and morphia, and 
this, when boiled in spirit, gave crystals termed morphia in 
the official reports, but which, of course, were a mixture of 
morphia and narcotine. By using the solution of the watery 
extract A. 1, in the first process I recommend, the narcotine 
is, however, separated, and magnesia, instead of ammonia, 
may then be used to separate the morphia. The method is, 
however, practically inconvenient, and the long boiling it re- 
quires highly objectionable, because this tends to decompose 
