Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
August,  1883.  J 
Syrupus  Laducarii. 
393 
to  make  25  fluidounces  of  the  decantates  ;  let  the  mixed  liquid  become 
cold,  filter  and  add  the  alcohol. 
The  foregoing  process  was  followed  with  the  utmost  care,  and  after 
completion,  prior  to  adding  the  alcohol,  a  portion  was  treated  with 
ether  to  ascertain  if  all  the  resinous  principles  of  the  opium  had  been 
removed  by  the  fatty  matters.  After  shaking  well  together  and  allow- 
ing to  stand  six  hours  there  was  no  separation  of  any  substance  similar 
to  that  usual  in  the  officinal  process ;  in  fact,  the  ether  rested  upon  the 
surface  of  the  opium  solution  with  a  clean  and  sharply-defined  line ;  a 
portion  of  the  ether  was  poured  upon  a  piece  of  white  blotting-paper 
and  allowed  to  evaporate ;  there  was  no  sign  of  stain  or  odor. 
Of  this  tincture  105  cc,  representing  7  grammes  of  opium,  were 
evaporated  to  25  cc,  cooled,  and  water  sufficient  added  to  make  77  cc. ; 
to  this  was  added  3  grammes  of  fresh  slaked  lime,  and  the  mixture  was 
triturated  during  a  half  hour,  the  solution  was  filtered  into  a  bottle 
until  50  cc.  were  collected  representing  5  grammes  of  opium ;  this  was 
then  treated  as  described  for  the  assay  of  opium  in  the  United  States 
Pharmacopoeia. 
Upon  weighing  the  product  I  was  astonished  at  the  result,  which 
was  7*10  per  cent,  of  morphine.  Being  fearful  that  I  had  made  an 
error  in  my  work  I  called  upon  a  competent  assistant  and  asked  him 
to  go  over  it  while  I  again  repeated  the  examination — with  the  result 
of  6*90  and  6*85  respectively,  the  work  being  done  entirely  without 
any  comparison  until  complete. 
This  restdt  seems  to  my  mind  to  give  a  feature  of  importance  to  this 
process  that  very  probably  has  not  been  considered.  I  regret  that  I 
did  not  save  the  fatty  substances,  as  they  might  have  been  examined 
for  the  missing  morphine.  The  same  opium,  lime,  ether  and  chloride 
of  ammonium  were  used  in  each  case. 
SYKUPUS  LACTUCAPIL 
By  Nehemiah  D.  Steeeter,  Ph.  G. 
From  an  inaugural  essay. 
The  following  process  will  yield  a  very  satisfactory  preparation^ 
having  the  same  strength  as  that  of  the  new  Pharmacopoeia : 
Take  of 
Lactucarium     5  parts. 
Ether   5  parts. 
Alcohol   3  parts. 
Sugar  65  parts. 
Orange  flower  water  and  water,  of  each  sufficient. 
