258  Opium  Assaying.  {^'iEg;$»£^ 
for  applying  a  correction  to  the  crude  morphine  were  briefly  treated. 
Preference  was  then  given  to  the  ash  method,  but  titration  with 
volumetric  acid  solutions  was  also  strongly  advocated. 
Dr.  Dott,1  in  reviewing  the  subject  of  applying  a  correction,  gave 
as  his  opinion  that  an  adulterated  opium  could  be  detected  by 
dividing  the  crude  morphine  into  three  parts,  and  estimating  the 
impurity  in  one  part  by  the  ash  method,  treating  a  second  part 
with  barium  hydroxide,  while  the  third  part  is  to  be  titrated  with  a 
volumetric  acid  solution.  Such  a  procedure,  undoubtedly,  would  be 
sufficient  to  determine  the  amount  of  pure  morphine  in  a  sample  of 
the  crude  material;  but  is  it  practicable  ? 
During  the  past  year  the  writer  has  dealt  with  opium  that  was 
entirely  different  from  the  opium  assayed  the  year  previous.  It  con- 
tained the  normal  percentage  of  morphine,  was  very  moist,  and  con- 
secutively numbered  cases  yielded  vastly  different  appearing  mor- 
phine. One  case  might  yield  a  very  satisfactory  white  morphine, 
another  a  yellowish-white  product,  a  third  a  dark-brown,  while  a 
fourth  would  be  an  intimate  mixture  of  distinctively  light-colored 
and  dark-colored  crystals  of  morphine.  The  opium  had  a  very  good 
appearance  and  was  called  "  Turkey  opium."  The  following  data 
will  serve  to  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  opium : 
Per  Cent, 
of  Moisture. 
23-50 
19-11 
21*20 
I9'33 
24"94 
22-18 
Per  Cent,  of  Morphine 
on  Moist  Basis. 
11-  30 
9-98 
II75 
9"6o 
9  "59 
12-  37 
Per  Cent,  of  Morphine 
on  Dry  Basis 
14-76 
12-39 
14-18 
11-  89 
12-  77 
I5'89 
Some  analysts  are  of  the  opinion  that  an  experienced  operator  is 
able  to  judge  whether  a  given  sample  of  crude  morphine  needs  to 
have  a  correction  applied  or  not.  This  was  also  the  writer's  opinion 
until  he  met  with  the  present  opium.  Dr.  Squibb  has  diligently 
compared  the  relative  merits  of  the  lime-water  process  and  the 
absolute  alcoliol  method,  with  the  conclusion  in  favor  of  the  former. 
Below  are  given  the  results  of  a  comparison  of  the  ash  method, 
1  1896,/.  Soc.  Chem.  Ind.,  15,  91. 
