392  Tinctura  Opii  Beodorata.  {"^Au^^st' issT' 
ON  TINCTURA  OPII  DEODORATA. 
By  George  W.  Sloan. 
Mead  before  the  Indianapolis  Association  of  Pharmacists,  July  11,  1883. 
How  does  deodorized  tincture  of  opium,  prepared  in  accordance  with 
the  process  suggested  by  R.  Rother,  compare  with  that  of  the  Phar- 
macopoeia ? 
In  order  to  answer  this  question  I  have  adopted  the  following 
method : 
Taking  a  sample  of  the  powdered  opium  at  hand,  my  object  was  to 
ascertain  the  percentage  of  morphine  present;  this  was  done  by  fol- 
lowing the  directions  given  in  the  Pharmacopceia  of  the  United  States^ 
Revision  of  1880,  which  is  briefly  stated  as  follows:  7  grammes  of 
powdered  or  other  opium  are  well  triturated  with  3  grammes  of  fresh 
slaked  lime  and  70  cc.  of  distilled  water  during  a  half  hour ;  then 
filter  until  50  cc.  have  passed  through  the  filter,  and  to  this  add 
stronger  ether,  25  cc,  alcohol,  5  cc,  and  ammonium  chloride,  3 
grammes,  the  mixture  to  be  well  shaken  during  the  first  half  hour ; 
allow  to  stand  twelve  (12)  hours,  decant  the  ethereal  mixture,  wash 
again  with  10  cc.  of  ether  and  decant ;  collect  the  crystals  of  morphine 
upon  a  balanced  filter,  and  after  careful  drying  weigh  the  filter  con- 
taining the  crystals  of  morphine,  multiply  the  weight  in  grammes  by 
20  and  you  have  the  percentage  of  morphine  present  in  the  opium» 
Pursuing  this  course  the  result  obtained  was  13'80  per  cent. 
Thus  having  a  definite  starting  point,  I  prepared  Tinctura  Opii  Deo- 
dorata  in  accordance  with  the  process  given  by  R,  Rother,  Aw,.  Jour^ 
Pharmacy,  Feb.  1783,  p.  76,  viz. : 
Take  of  Opium,  dried  and  powdered. 
Vaseline, 
Spermaceti  
Alcohol  
Water  sufficient. 
....  2^  troy  ounces. 
aa  1 
....  7  fluid  ounces. 
Upon  the  opium  contained  in  a  suitable  capsule  pour  12  to  14 
fluid  ounces  of  water  and  boil  the  mixture  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  ;  then 
add  the  spermaceti  and  vaseline,  stir  them  well  together,  let  the  mix- 
ture cool  and  decant  the  liquid  from  the  dregs.  Upon  the  residue 
pour  8  fluid  ounces  of  water,  heat,  stir  well,  and  after  cooling  decant 
as  before.    Repeat  this  once  more  with  8  ounces  of  water,  or  sufficient 
