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A  NEW  TEST  FOR  MORPHIA. 
2.  Transparency  and  lightness. — Applied  over  a  stump  or 
other  cut  surface,  when  haemorrhage  may  be  feared,  the  state  of 
the  part  can  be  more  readily  seen.  On  account  of  its  lightness, 
it  is  particularly  useful  in  covering  extensive  burns. 
3.  Adaptability. — It  can  be  nicely  applied  to  any  part,  re- 
taining the  form  impressed  upon  it.  It  is  easily  torn,  while,  at 
the  same  time,  it  can  be  made  of  any  required  strength  by 
doubling  or  trebling  it. 
4.  Safety. — The  great  objection  to  oiled  silk  (or  even  to  gutta 
percha  sheeting),  is,  that  the  expense  tempts  us  to  use  it  over 
and  over  again  ;  and  in  this  way  disease  is  propagated.  There 
would  exist  no  such  temptation  with  oiled  paper,  as  it  could  only 
be  used  once,  and  all  risk  of  contagion  in  this  way  would  be 
avoided.— Boston  Med.  and  Surg.  Journ.,  Feb.  20,  1862. 
W.  S.  B. 
A  NEW  TEST  FOR  MORPHIA. 
By  M.  Leforte. 
This  test  is  based  on  the  following  facts  : 
1.  When  organic  substances  decompose  iodic  acid,  the  liber- 
ated iodine  is  generally  absorbed  by  caustic  ammonia  and  the  mix- 
ture is  completely  decolorized. 
2.  Morphia,  on  the  contrary,  which  is  decomposed  by  iodic 
acid  and  thereby  colored  red  or  brown,  becomes  still  more  in- 
tensely colored  on  the  addition  of  caustic  ammonia. 
The  following  experiments  show  the  extreme  sensibility  of 
the  latter  reaction  : 
An  aqueous  solution,  containing  one  part  of  morphia  in  a 
hundred  is  colored  dark  yellow  by  iodic  acid,  which  at  once 
changes  to  a  very  deep  yellowish  brown  on  the  addition  of  am- 
monia. 
A  solution  of  morphia  containing  one  part  in  a  thousand  is 
colored  lemon  yellow,  by  iodic  acid,  and  the  mixture  acquires 
the  color  of  Alicant  wine  when  ammonia  is  added. 
In  a  solution  containing  one  part  in  ten  thousand,  iodic  acid 
produces  only  a  slightly  perceptible  yellowish  color,  which  how- 
ever becomes  quite  apparent  when  a  few  drops  of  ammonia  are 
added. 
