460  Contributions  from  the  School  of  Pharmacy,  etc.{^'^-};^'-J!^^''^' 
and  found  insoluble  in  aqueous  potassa,  but  soluble  in  bisulphide  of  car- 
bon :  thus  corresponding  in  solubilities  to  caoutchouc.  Vegetable  wax 
could  not  be  identified,  being  present  in  very  minute  quantities  or  not 
at  all. 
A  decoction  of  1 00  grams  of  the  bark  was  precipitated  with  lead  ace- 
tate solution  ;  then  with  lead  subacetate  solution  ;  the  filtrate  was  freed 
from  the  excess  of  lead  by  hydrosulphuric  acid  gas,  concentrated,  and 
set  aside  two  days,  when  no  crystals  were  found  under  the  microscope. 
The  concentrated  solution  was  tried  with  the  general  reagents  for  alka- 
loids, with  negative  results  :  it  gave  reactions  for  glucose. 
In  a  few  particulars  the  results  of  this  examination  differ  from  those 
of  Prof.  Wayne,  made  about  three  years  since. 
It  would  seem  that  difference  in  the  material  must  be  the  explanation 
for  some  of  these  different  results,  which  may  be  placed  parallel  as  fol- 
lows : 
1.  Prof.  Wayne  finds  the  percolate  pale  amber  in  color.  In  this 
examination  it  was  dark  reddish-brown.  He  ascribes  the  final  color  of 
the  resin  to  the  heat  applied  in  distillation.  In  this  examination,  to 
ascertain  if  such  was  the  fact,  a  percolate  was  made,  and  evaporated  at 
ordinary  temperature,  when  the  resin  was  of  the  same  color.  Again, 
one  percolate  was  made  and  evaporated  in  the  light  and  a  duplicate  one 
in  the  dark,  evaporation  being  without  application  of  heat,  and  the 
resin  was  of  the  same  color  in  both  portions. 
2.  Prof.  Wayne  finds  the  resin  (after  action  of  heat  in  the  retort) 
insoluble  in  alcohol,  chloroform,  ether,  and  aqueous  ammonia  ;  in  each 
of  which  solvents  it  was  in  this  examination  found  to  be  soluble,  as 
before  stated. 
III.   Assay  of  five  samples  of  Opium,  Comparison  of  three 
MORPHIOMETRIC  PROCESSES,  AND  EXAMINATION  OF  TWO  SAMPLES 
of  "American  Opium."    By  J.  Clark  Moss,  P.  C. 
The  five  samples  of  opium  were  purchased  at  as  many  dispensing 
stores.  The  proportion  of  morphia  was  determined  by  Staples'  pro- 
cess with  Procter's  modification, f  the  dry  powdered  opium  being  first 
exhausted  with  warm  benzole,  and  the  solution  treated  with  ammonia 
in  presence  of  alcohol,  exactly  as  in  the  U.  S.  P.  preparation,  the  crys- 
tals being  washed  with  ether  (without  use  of  animal  charcoal).  The 
Am.  Jour.  Phar.,"  1872,  289,  July. 
Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,"  1870;  "Am.  Jour.  Phar.,"  1871,  65. 
