Arn,jJa0nrx8P76arm*}      Molybdic  in  Sulphuric  Acid  as  a  test.  2  1 
ON  SOLUTIONS  OF  MOLYBDIC  IN  SULPHURIC  ACID  AS  A 
REAGENT  FOR  ORGANIC  PRINCIPLES  * 
BY  HENRY  S.  WELLCOME,  PH.  G. 
Dr.  Regnald  Southey,  Physician  to  St.  Bartholomew's  Hospital, 
London,  in  his  report  for  1874,  (vol.  x,  p.  303),  announces,  as  a  new 
test  for  opium,  a  solution  of  molybdic  acid  in  sulphuric  acid.  The 
following  is  an  abstract  of  his  statement  :  "  A  new  test  for  opium  ;  a 
color  test,  at  once  so  characteristic  and  intense,  of  such  easy  applica- 
bility and  such  extreme  delicacy,  that  it  needs  only  to  be  more 
generally  known  in  order  to  be  often  employed  ;  molybdic  acid 
dissolved  in  pure  sulphuric  acid  is  the  testfluid  ;  a  saturated,  or,  at  all 
events,  a  strong  solution  should  be  made.  Th,e  reaction  is  produced 
by  mDrphia  in  opium,  not  by  the  meconic  acid  ;  the  latter  undergoes 
no  change  with  the  reagent  ;  the  former,  in  minutest  quantities,  at  once 
furnishes  characteristic  reaction.  The  best  mode  of  proceeding  is  to 
place  a  drop  of  the  suspected  fluid  side  by  side  with  a  drop  of  the 
test  fluid,  by  means  of  a  glass  rod;  at  once,  if  morphia,  or  any  of  its 
salts,  be  present,  a  beautiful  deep  maroon  color  will  be  presented,  when 
the  fluids  are  brought  in  contact  ;  the  color  changes  after  a  while, 
becoming,  first  deep  purple,  and  then  gradually  losing  its  red  element, 
and  becoming  dark,  and  later,  a  brighter  blue.  In  evidence  of  the 
minuteness  of  this  test  I  may  adduce  the  following  facts  :  The  re- 
action is  distinctly  obtained  with  a  single  drop  of  pharmacopoeial  tinct. 
opii,  as  also  with  the  compound  tincture  of  camphor. 
"  The  presence  of  a  good  deal  of  impurity,  and  of  alien  organic  matter, 
does  not  interfere  much  with  it.  Of  this  I  feel  confident,  that  the  busy 
practitioner  will  hail  this  new  discovery,  which  enables  him  to  detect  lauda- 
num or  morphia  in  the  dregs  of  bottles,  brought  to  him  to  test,  and  in 
fluids  vomited,  and  to  swear  to  its  presence  with  positive  security.  I  was 
enabled  to  detect  the  grain  of  morphia,  as  presented  in  the 
morphia  lozenge  of  our  pharmacopoeia." 
It  is  an  error  that  such  tests  are  published,  especially  for  determining 
the  presence  of  so  important  a  principle  and  so  common  a  poison  as 
morphia,  and  with  the  commendation  of  one  whose  position  should 
warrant  authority  and  reliability.  We  should  be  sorry  to  learn  of  Dr. 
Southey's  swearing  to  the  presence  of  opium  or  morphia,  his  findings 
based  upon  this  test  alone,  in  a  chemico-legal  poison  case,  where  a 
*  Read,  December  7th,  before  the  Monthly  Meeting  of  the  New  York  Alumni 
Association  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy. 
