393 
Determination  of  Morphine. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      August,  1895. 
and  yet  it  is  to  be  used  only  for  mass  copaiba.  It  seems  almost 
absurd  to  prescribe  a  series  of  tests  for  a  substance  intended  for  a 
special  purpose,  and  yet  cautiously  omit  the  test  leading  to  its 
identification.  A  balsam  copaiba  designed  especially  for  mass 
copaiba  should  be  subjected  to  the  solidification  test. 
305  Cherry  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 
ON  THE  DETERMINATION  OF  MORPHINE  IN  OPIUM.1 
By  Lyman  F.  Kebi/er,  M.S. 
In  this  article  the  author  contributes  some  interesting  and  valua- 
ble information  in  regard  to  opium  assaying,  with  especial  reference 
to  the  several  methods  for  obtaining  corrections  for  the  amount  of 
impurity  associated  with  the  crude  morphine. 
The  crude  morphine  from  thirty  opium  assays  was  mixed,  and  a 
portion  incinerated,  a  quantitative  estimation  being  made  of  the 
ash.     27-88  per  cent,  of  the  ash  was  soluble  in  water,  to  which  it 
imparted  an  alkaline  reaction. 
The  complete  analysis  showed  : 
Soluble  in  H20  (K2C03,  K2S04,  NaCl)   27-88 
Silica     0*83 
Aluminium  phosphate   o-43 
Magnesium  phosphate   i3'45 
Calcium  carbonate   56'  17 
Loss   1  24 
Total  ioo'oo 
A  comparison  of  the  several  methods  for  obtaining  corrections, 
including  titration  with  volumetric  acid  solution,  using  various  indi- 
cators, gave  the  following  results : 
Methyl  orange   100*02 
Cochineal   99*53 
Litmus    98  '93 
Brazilwood   98*47 
Haematoxylin   97*59 
Ash  method   97'59 
Lime  water  method    98*22 
Absolute  alcohol   98*33 
1  Read  before  the  New  York  Section  Soc.  Chem.  Ind.,  in  April,  and  published 
in  the  May  number  of  the  Journal  of  the  Society,  page  464.  Abstracted  by 
Charles  H.  La  Wall. 
