PROPOSED  TEST  FOR  MORPHIA. 
9 
A  PROPOSED  TEST  FOR  MORPHIA. 
By  Robert  F.  Fairthorne. 
When  Labarraque's  solution  of  chlor.  soda  is  mixed  with  the 
solution  of  sulphate  of  morphia,  U.  S.  P.,  a  light  orange  colored 
transparent  mixture  is  produced.  The  salts  of  morphia,  when 
moistened  with  the  solution  chlor.  soda,  become  of  a  dark  orange. 
To  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  morphia  made  in  the  proportion 
of  (gr.  i.  to  si.  of  water)  a  small  quantity  of  Labarraque's  solution 
was  added,  which  produced  a  bright  orange  color,  which,  when  a 
little  aq.  amnion,  was  mixed  with  it,  changed  to  a  dark  red.  A. 
small  quantity  of  chloride  of  lime  added  to  the  above  named  so- 
lution of  morphia,  has  the  same  effect  upon  it  as  Labarraque's 
solution,  but  if  added  in  excess  the  solution  will  be  colorless. 
These  changes  of  color  are  owing  to  the  action  of  chlorine  on 
morphia. 
Experiment — Six  grains  of  pure  morphia  were  put  into  a 
vessel  containing  J  oz.  of  distilled  water,  in  which  but  a  small 
portion  dissolved,  owing  to  the  insolubility  of  morphia  in  that 
menstruum.  Chlorine  gas  was  passed  through  the  mixture,  and 
the  morphia  dissolved  immediately,  the  solution  changing  to  an 
orange  red  color.  This  was  evaporated  spontaneously  between 
32  and  35°  Far.  When  evaporated  to  about  oii.  the  solution 
changed  to  a  green  color,  and  deposited  a  white  powder  (which 
dissolved  when  the  solution  was  placed  in  a  warm  room).  When 
a  few  drops  of  this  green  solution  were  added  to  some  water  it 
produced  a  red  colored  solution.  The  green  solution  was  then 
evaporated  to  dryness,  and  a  reddish  brown  colored  substance 
was  left  behind,  which  looked  as  if  the  morphia  had  become 
burnt  by  the  action  of  the  chlorine,  but  that  this  was  not  the 
case  was  proved  by  its  being  perfectly  soluble  in  water,  producing 
a  dark  transparent  solution,  and  possessed  of  the  characteristic 
bitter  taste  of  salts  of  morphia. 
The  last  experiment  was  repeated  with  nearly  the  same  results. 
The  solution  of  chlor.  of  morphia  was  evaporated  spontaneously 
at  about  60°  Fah.,  but  when  evaporated  to  3iL  it  did  not  change 
color.* 
Philadelphia,  October  26,  1855. 
*  Liebig  (Traite  de  Chimie  Organique,  tome  ii.  p.  552)  says  that  the  salts 
of  morphia  put  in  contact  with  chlorine  water,  become  first  orange,  after- 
wards red,  and  finally  yellow,  and  precipitate  a  substance  of  the  same  color. 
