500  Assay  of  Opium  for  Morphia,       {Ami/C™  a**™" 
resembling  caoutchouc,  probably  two  resins,  meconic  acid  and  calcium 
salts,  and  a  substance  we  will  designate  by  the  name  of  extractive. 
Of  these  the  morphia  in  all  probability  exists  combined  with  the 
meconic  acid  to  form  soluble  meconate  of  morphia. 
The  narcotina  is  either  entirely  free  or  partly  combined  with  acid. 
The  remaining  alkaloids  are  probably  in  a  state  of  combination. 
The  meconic  acid  is  partly  free  and  partly  combined. 
The  action  of  different  solvents  and  reagents  on  the  principles  of 
opium  are  as  follows  : 
Water  {distilled}. — Morphia  is  soluble  to  the  extent  of  one  part  in 
1,000  ;  narcotina  in  10,000  ;  narceina  is  sparingly  soluble  though  more 
so  than  morphia  ;  the  meconic  acid  is  freely  soluble  ;  the  resin,  caout- 
chouc, etc.,  are  insoluble. 
Alcohol. — -Morphia  is  sparingly  soluble  in  cold  alcohol,  freely  in  boil- 
ing.   The  remaining  alkaloids,  resin  and  caoutchouc  are  soluble. 
Fusel  Oil. — All  the  alkaloids  are  freely  soluble  in  fusel  oil.  The 
resin  is  also  slightly  soluble. 
Ether,  Benzol,  Bisulphide  of  Carbon. — Morphia  is  soluble  to  the  ex- 
tent of  one  part  in  2,000  ;  the  remaining  alkaloids  are  freely  soluble. 
The  resin  is  insoluble  ;  caoutchouc  soluble. 
Acids. — The  whole  of  the  alkaloids  and  resins  are  soluble  in  acids. 
Fixed  Alkalies. — Morphia  is  freely  soluble  in  solutions  of  fixed  alka- 
lies, narcotina  is  insoluble.  In  the  presence  of  morphia  narcotina  is 
dissolved  by  lime  water;  narceina  is  soluble.  The  remaining  alkaloids 
are  insoluble.    The  resin  is  partly  soluble. 
Ammonia. — Morphia  is  sparingly  soluble  in  ammonia,  a  I  per  cent, 
solution  dissolving  five  parts  in  1,000.  The  narceina  and  codeina  are 
soluble.    The  remaining  alkaloids  and  resin  are  insoluble. 
Action  of  Solvents  on  Opium. 
It  follows  from  the  foregoing  remarks  that  when  opium  is  treated 
with  water  the  solution  contains  meconate  of  morphia,  salts  of  narco- 
tina and  other  alkaloids  ;  resin,  taken  into  solution  by  the  free  acid 
present ;  calcium  salts,  meconic  acid  and  extractive. 
An  a1  oholic  solution  will,  in  addition  to  the  above,  contain  more 
narcotina,  caoutchouc,  fat  and  resin. 
The  question  here  arises  as  to  whether  water  will  thoroughly  exhaust 
the  opium  of  its  morphia.    Opinions  on  this  point  are  divided,  but  I 
