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SELECTED ARTICLES. 
where a great deal is prepared for Italy, contained upwards 
of fifty per cent. It was so distinctly visible to the naked 
eye, that it could be separated with the point of a penknife. 
Let it not be said that the narcotine proceeds from the opium 
employed: this excuse would be absurd and inadmissible. 
The factor, if not ignorant, or of bad faith, cannot leave in 
morphine so large a quantity of narcotine, and, besides, there 
is no opium which contains morphine and narcotine in equal 
parts. 
It is then evidently narcotine added afterwards, — obtained 
from the dregs of opium, or bought at a price inferior to that 
of morphine. 
Means of Separating Morphine from Narcotine. 
Very often in examining morphine with the naked eye, or 
the magnifying glass, you may distinguish, if you have a little 
practice, the narcotine that is mixed with it, by the form of 
its crystals, which are in flattened needles, and present to the 
light a silvery reflection, whilst morphine is in small transpa- 
rent quadrilateral crystals. But to be more certain, it should 
be exposed to chemical investigation; I will mention, then, 
the different means indicated of separating one of these sub- 
stances from the other, and particularize the one which should 
be preferred. 
1st. By boiling the morphine in ether, decanting, and eva- 
porating, you will have crystals of narcotine. 
2d. By shaking, while cold, with weak acetic acid, a mix- 
ture of morphine and narcotine, and repeating this operation 
several times, until a new portion of acid ceases to become 
saturated, which will be known by litmus paper taking a slight 
red color, the morphine alone will be dissolved, leaving the 
narcotine behind. 
3d. Lastly, by using a solution of caustic potash, which 
effectually dissolves the morphine without attacking the nar- 
cotine. This process, which we owe to Mr. Robiquet, is, 
without contradiction, that by means of which the separation 
of these two substances is more completely attained. 
