ON THE oriUM FOUND IN COMMERCE. 
321 
narcotine. I should observe, however, that a very small 
quantity of genuine opium treated by the same process, pre- 
sented in its reactions much more distinct characters, whilst 
with the other I had but doubtful reactions up to the precise 
moment I could see the isolated morphine. 
Though by this second mode of operation, I obtained mor- 
phine and traces of narcotine, which had at first escaped me, 
it follows not the less; taking together the physical characters, 
and the manner this opium comported with its chemical reac- 
tions, that it might be well to suppose that it was fabricated 
altogether from dregs of opium deprived of morphine and 
narcotine, with some common extractive matter, and a small 
quantity of genuine opium intended to give to the mass a lit- 
tle of its odor, and some traces of its principles; as to the fatty 
matter found in this novel compound, it has been incorporated 
with it to render it pliable and cohesive. But this combination 
appears to be a result of experiments which have led the 
defrauders to the sufficiently exact imitation of so valuable a 
product. I will add, moreover, that within fourteen years, 
in the considerable quantities of opium I have operated 
upon for the extraction of the morphine, and in the numerous 
trials I have been able to make upon opium of every quality, 
I have never met with any, even among the worst, which 
had the least analogy with the last. In none have I found 
fatty matter by treating them directly with boiling water, 
nor such trifling quantities of morphine and narcotine. 
What at first appears astonishing, is, that they had even ex- 
hausted the dregs of the narcotine which should be obtained. 
But the surprise will not be greater at this refined cheating 
operation, upon learning the use which cupidity knows how 
to make of it. It is not only the opium they seek to imitate 
or falsify, but morphine likewise. Of late I have had 
occasion to convince myself, in examining several specimens 
despatched to Paris, that morphine, sold in commerce at a price 
below its value, was falsified. 
I have found in morphine from Germany, as much as 
seventeen per cent, of narcotine; others taken from Marseilles, 
