6S SELECTED ARTICLES. 
it, when ammonia is added; but can be readily separated by 
means of ether or weak alcohol, which readily dissolve it. 
I sought in vain for meconine in the precipitate by ammo- 
nia. M. Couerbe states that he has found it; perhaps I wash- 
ed the precipitate too much before macerating it in the alcohol; 
when it is present, it is to be separated by converting the pre- 
cipitate into hydrochlorates, and treating with ether, the sali- 
fiable bases of opium not being soluble in this fluid in the . 
state of hydrochlorates. 
In another experiment, I treated the crude morphia with 
sulphuric ether, and obtained narcotine, morphia, codeine and 
paramorphia. 
V. 
Examination of the substance found by M. Dublanc, and 
described, Annates de Phys. et Chim. XLIX. I. 
In a memoir on opium, published in 1832, but read in 1826 
before the Royal Academy of Medicine, M. Dublanc, jr. an- 
nounced the discovery of a new substance which was crystal- 
line, and soluble in both alcohol and water. M. Couerbe 
regarded this substance as identical with one detected by 
himself, whilst working in my laboratory, and thus consented 
to share the honour of the discovery of meconine with M. 
Dublanc. Since that period, however, I have entertained 
some doubts whether the substance of M. Dublanc really was 
meconine. This gentleman states that it contains azote, that it 
differs from narcotine by containing more hydrogen and less 
carbon, that it affords ammoniacal products on distillation ; 
now, meconine does not contain azote, it is volatile ; M. Du- 
blanc who heated his substance in a tube, found that it did not 
volatilize, neither was any change of colour produced on the 
addition of sulphuric acid, a change which is so characteristic 
of meconine ; in fact, his description of its properties more 
nearly allies it to codeine. However, he has not shown 
whether it was alkaline, or formed salts ; it differs also from 
codeine in the form of its crystals and its solubility. What, 
therefore, is this substance? 
