^8  Action- of  Morphine  and  Derivatives.   {Am jJ™*im&rva- 
on  motor  nerves  is,  however,  more  marked,  and  it  is  distinctly  a 
muscle  poison. 
It  will  be  noted  that  the  introduction  of  chlorine  into  the  morphine 
and  codeine  molecules  gives  them  a  paralyzing  influence  on  muscle 
tissue  not  possessed  by  the  unaltered  molecules. 
Substitution  of  NO  and  HSOv — Morphine  sulphuric  acid  C17H18 
NO3HSO3  and  nitrosomorphine  C17H1S(N0)N03  have  much  the 
same  physiological  action  as  the  substances  produced  by  the  intro- 
duction into  the  morphine  molecule  of  alkyls  or  acid  radicles.  The 
sulphuric  compound  is  less  toxic  than  codeine. 
Addition  of  radicles  to  the  morphine  and  codeine  molecules,. — Ex- 
periments made  with  metJiylmorphiiun  chloride  C17H19N03CH3C1 
and  mctJiylcodeium  sidpha'e  (C18H20NO3CH3)2SO4  show  that  the 
addition  of  chloride  and  sulphate  of  methyl  to  morphine  and  codeine 
respectively  alters  but  little  the  action  of  these  alkaloids.  The  para- 
lyzing influence  on  motor  nerves  is  considerably  increased,  but  quali- 
tatively the  effects  on  the  animal  organism  remain  similar  to  those 
of  codeine  or  morphine.  The  conclusions  arrived  at  by  Stockman 
and  Dott  with  regard  to  the  action  of  these  two  substances  are  not 
quite  in  accord  with  the  results  of  earlier  observers. 
Crum,  Brown  and  Fraser,  in  their  well-known  investigations  con- 
cerning the  relation  between  chemical  composition  and  physiological 
action,  found  that  a  methylmorphium  salt  was  hypnotic  and  para- 
lyzed the  termination  of  motor  nerves,  but  had  no  convulsant  action, 
whilst  methylcodeium  sulphate  was  neither  hypnotic  nor  convulsant, 
but  a  paralysant  of  the  terminations  of  motor  nerves. 
Stockman  and  Dott  find  that  the  methylmorphium  chloride  does 
stimulate  the  spinal  cord,  but  the  paralysis  of  motor  nerves  obscures 
the  spasmodic  symptoms,  and  that  methylcodeium  sulphate  acts 
slightly  as  a  narcotic,  and  like  codeine,  in  small  doses  depresses,  and 
in  large  doses  stimulates  the  spinal  cord.  The  paralysant  effect  on 
the  motor  nerve  endings  hides  to  some  extent  its  stimulant  effect  on 
the  spinal  cord. 
Methocodeine  C17H17N022(CH3). — In  this  body  two  methyl 
molecules  have  been  introduced  into  morphine.  One  of  these 
replaces  a  hydroxyl  atom,  while  the  other  is  introduced  into  the 
body  of  the  morphine  molecule  C17H17(CH3)NO  OH  CH3.  By 
this  substitution  a  great  change  in  physiological  effects  is  produced. 
Methocodeine  has  neither  narcotic  nor  tetanizing  effect.    It  is  a 
