66 
MorpTiiometrical  Pi^ocess,  etc. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
t     Feb.  1,  1871. 
to  try  several  processes  with  the  same  solution  of  opium,  a  sample  of 
nearly  dry  opium,  weighing  300  grains,  was  triturated  to  coarse  pow- 
der, and  then  rubbed  with  repeated  portions  of  water,  until  finely  di- 
vided and  macerated  in  six  times  its  weight  of  water  for  twelve  hours, 
then  percolated  on  a  filter  until  the  washings  were  nearly  colorless. 
The  united  liquids  (amounting  to  4500  grains)  were  divided  into  three 
equal  portions,  each  representing  1(10  grains  of  opium. 
No.  1.  The  solution  was  evaporated  with  moderate  heat  to  half  a 
fluid  ounce,  mixed  with  an  equal  bulk  of  alcohol  (sp.  gr.  885),  filtered 
through  a  small  filter,  and  the  latter  washed  with  a  little  diluted  alco- 
hol. 50  minims  of  solution  of  ammonia  (sp.  gr.  960)  was  mixed  with 
2  fluid  drachms  of  alcohol.  One-half  cf  this  was  added  to  the  alco- 
holic solution  of  opium  with  agitation,  and  allowed  to  stand  six  hours, 
when  the  remainder  of  the  ammonia  was  mixed  in  and  the  vessel  per- 
mitted to  rest  for  twenty-four  hours.  The  crystalline  matter  deposited 
on  the  interior  of  the  vial  being  detached,  the  contents  were  at  inter- 
vals poured  on  a  small-tared  filter,  and  the  crude  morphia  washed, 
first  with  diluted  alcohol  and  then  with  water,  dried  at  120°,  and 
weighed.  The  product  was  9*75  grains.  This  w;is  treated  several 
times  with  boiling  non-alcoholic  ether,  and  the  ethereal  solution  evapo- 
rated in  a  small-tared  capsule  gave  0-31  grains  of  crystalline  prisms, 
equivalent  to  0*31  per  cent,  of  narcotina,  and  9*44  per  cent,  of  mor- 
phia in  the  opium  examined. 
No.  2.  This  portion  was  treated  with  solution  of  subacetate  of  lead 
till  it  ceased  to  be  precipitated,  the  precipitate  separated  on  a  filter 
and  well  washed,  the  filtrate  treated  with  diluted  sulphuric  acid  by 
drops  to  separate  the  excess  of  lead  as  sulphate,  and  filtered.  The 
clear  solution  by  moderate  heat  is  reduced  to  half  a  fluid  ounce,  mixed 
with  its  bulk  of  alcohol  filtered,  and  the  filtrate  mixed  with  fifty  grains 
of  solution  of  ammonia  containing  alcohol,  in  two  portions  added  half 
an  hour  apart,  and  allowed  to  stand  twenty-four  hours.  The  morphia 
was  deposited  in  large  distinct  crystals,  very  few  of  which  were  at- 
tached to  the  interior  of  the  vessel.  They  were  collected  on  a  filter, 
washed  with  diluted  alcohol  and  water,  dried  and  weighed  8.75  grains. 
This,  repeatedly  boiled  in  ether  and  the  ethereal  liquids  evaporated, 
afi'orded  but  a  trace  of  crystalline  matter,  too  small  to  weigh  and  yet 
distinctly  visible  in  minute  prisms. 
No.  3.  This  was  mixed  with  sixty  grains  of  lime,  previously  hy- 
drated  and  boiled  for  fifteen  minutes,  the  decoction  filtered  hot  from 
