76 
Deodorized  TiuGture  of  Opium. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      Feb.,  1883. 
DEODORIZED  TINCTURE  OF  OPIUM. 
By  R.  Rother. 
The  excremeDtaiy  and  redundant  products  of  vital  action  are  fre- 
quently seized  upon  by  selection,  when  subserving  some  extraneous 
purpose,  and  being  raised  from  secondary  to  primary  importance  thus 
become  the  chief  effects  of  biological  development  in  its  highest  phases. 
The  great  diversity,  extent  and  extreme  development  of  the  phaneroga- 
mic flora  is  principally  due  to  tlie  fact  that  the  product  of  certain  func- 
tions furnished  food  and  shelter  to  various  insects,  birds,  and  other 
animals ;  and  it  is  also  the  outcome  of  parasitism  in  the  vegetal  series 
itself.  In  the  general  decomposition  and  combination  of  substar^ces, 
liberating  force  for  the  sustentation  of  vital  activity,  surrounding  con- 
ditions will  determine  the  tendency  in  the  direction  and  amounts 
of  the  various  resulting  products.  Therefore,  that  function  or  that 
organism  will  survive  and  become  established  and  augmented  in  whose 
favor  the  prevailing  tendency  is  directed.  If  the  secretion  of  some  func- 
tion finds  relish  with  some  other  organ  or  organism,  this  function  will 
eventually  increase  to  predominant  importance.  Secondary  functions  in 
harmony  with  the  principal  one,  will  correspondingly  thrive  and  hence 
become  concomitant. 
Wlien  the  flower  of  a  plant  yields  a  palatable  juice  to  some  insect  its 
chances  of  survival  thr()uo;h  fertilization  are  increased,  and  should  it 
also  possess  a  pleasing  fragrance,  another  factor  of  survival  is  added ; 
should  it  further  have  a  contrasting  color,  and  bear  in  addition  a  savory 
and  tinted  fruit,  its  fitness  to  endure  will  intensify  to  the  utmost. 
In  addition  to  these  positive  factors  of  survival,  now  come  those  of 
a  negative,  but  no  less  important  character.  A  plant  otherwise  favor- 
ably conditioned,  and  possessed  of  some  ungrateful  flavor,  odor,  and 
inconspicuous  appearance,  but  especially  qualified  for  resistance  by  some 
inherent  noxious  principle,  will  be  doubly  fortified  for  continuous 
existence.  Most  medicinal  plants  belong  to  this  latter  category.  The 
chief  physiologically  patent  constituent  will  represent  the  plant's  medi- 
cinal value.  But  in  addition  to  this  principal  one,  there  may 
be  present  various  others  of  less  and  less  efliciency.  The  plant 
usually  further  contains  indefinite  matters  of  decidedly  disturbing 
natures.  The  characters  and  relative  abundance  of  these  sundry 
agencies  is  also  dependent  upon  the  stages  during  w^hich  the 
raw  material  is  gathered  or  consumed.     The  most  important  active 
