NEW RESEARCHES ON OPIUM. 65 
their nature; the result was, that they consisted almost wholly 
of hydrochlorate of morphia, narceine, hydrochlorate of am- 
monia and codeine, and finally of meconine. 
To obtain the morphia, narceine and codeine, the crystal- 
line mass is to be treated with a sufficient quantity of water to 
dissolve f- ° , at a temperature of 120° F.; the undissolved 
portion will consist almost entirely of narceine; if it is found 
to contain any hydrochlorate of morphia, it is to be recrystal- 
lised once or twice. 
The narceine thus obtained, must be treated with ether, 
which will free it from any traces of meconine; though it 
seldom contains much, for meconine is much more soluble 
than narceine under the influence of an acid. The narceine 
being separated, the solution containing the other substances, 
is to be evaporated till crystallisation takes place; the crys- 
talline mass is to be treated with sulphuric ether, which will 
dissolve the meconine only, codeine when united to an acid 
being scarcely soluble in this fluid. Finally, to separate the 
morphia and codeine, the crystalline mass is to be re-dissolved 
and water of ammonia added ; this throws down the principal 
part of the morphia, and the filtered solution being treated 
with a slight excess of potash, will afford a precipitate of the 
codeine. This precipitate is to be dissolved in weak ether, 
which on evaporation will afford fine crystals. Care must be 
taken not to use too great an excess of potash, or a too con- 
centrated solution of it, as in either case the codeine will be 
redissolved; it is therefore preferable to leave a little morphia 
in the precipitate, as this can be separated in the treatment 
with ether. 
The black viscid liquid which was laid aside for examina- 
tion, was found to contain a large proportion of crystallisable 
principles, which I found very difficult to separate. The plan 
I finally pursued was a simple one, but was the result of 
a great number of trials, in which I was assisted by Mr. Du- 
bosc, one of my pupils, with great zeal and perseverance. The 
black viscous liquid was evaporated to the consistence of a 
soft extract; alcohol was added, of 24° B.; a separation took 
place; one portion remaining insoluble, whilst another was 
VOL. II.' — no. i. 9 
