'^'\i^y%s8o^''"'' }  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals,  ,  259 
Morphia  Muriate. — The  extensive  investigations  of  Dr.  H.Tausch 
prove  that : 
1.  The  coiTimercial  morphia  muriate  is  very  rarely  chemically  pure, 
but  usually  contains  a  varying  percentage  of  resinous  substances. 
2.  When  morphia  muriate  is  dried  for  some  time,  and  the  heat  is 
raised  to  ioo°C.,  it  not  only  loses  the  hydrochloric  acid,  adhering  to  it 
mechanically,  but  also  its  total  water  of  crystallization,  and  it  is  there- 
fore necessary  to  prescribe  either  the  morphia  muriate  dried  in  the  air, 
and  therefore  containing  water  of  crystallization,  or  the  morphia  muriate 
■dried  at  ioo*^C.,  which  contains  no  water  of  crystallization,  but  about 
15  per  cent,  more  alkaloid  than  the  former. 
3.  Pure  morphia  muriate  when  heated  at  130°  is  not  altered,  while 
'the  impure  commercial  salt  exhibits  a  brown  or  even  black  coloration. 
4.  In  all  cases  in  which  morphia  muriate  is  to  be  used,  it  is  important 
to  remember  that  the  i  molecule  of  water  of  crystallization,  with  which 
it  separates  from  its  solutions,  can  be  removed  by  heating  to  100°. — 
Zuchr.  d.  Allg.  Oest.  Apoth.  Ver.^  Feb.  10,  1880,  p.  65-69,  and  Feb. 
20,  i88o,  p.  82-85. 
Morphia  Muriate,  relation  of  Bulk  and  Weight. — The  appar- 
ent difference  in  weight  and  the  plainly-visible  difference  in  bulk  of 
different  lots  of  commercial  morphia  muriate  were  hitherto  considered 
due  to  a  difference  in  the  percentage  of  moisture  or  water  contained  in 
the  different  lots.  Hager  recently  reinvestigated  the  cause,  and  found 
that  this  depends  solely  upon  the  difference  in  the  size  of  the  crystals. 
Pharm  Centralh.^  Feb.,  12,  1880,  p.  55. 
Monobromated  Camphor. — C.  C.  Keller  dissolves  300-0  camphor 
in  I50'0  or  i8o'0  chloroform,  filters  the  solution  into  a  large  tubulated 
retort,  adds  320*0  pure  bromine,  and  sets  aside  for  several  hours  in  a 
cold  place  until  a  crystalline  paste  of  camphor  dibromide,  C^oH^gOBrg, 
is  formed  ;  the  tubulure  of  the  retort  is  now  closed  with  a  safety  tube, 
and  heat  is  applied  by  means  of  a  water-bath,  when  the  camphor  dibro- 
mide is  decomposed  into  monobromated  camphor  and  hydrogen  bro- 
mide, the  latter  escaping,  a  portion  of  the  chloroform  and  a  little  bro- 
mine distilling  over  at  the  same  time.  After  being  heated  for  2  or  3 
hours  the  dark  brown  colored  contents  of  the  retort  turn  light  yellow. 
When  but  minute  portions  of  hydrogen  bromide  vapors  escape,  the 
retort  is  removed  from  the  water-bath  and  is  allowed  to  stand  in  a  cold 
place  for  about  24  hours,  when  the  monobromated  camphor  separates 
in  light  yellowish  crystals,  which  are  freed  from  the  mother-liquor. 
