NEW RESEARCHES ON OPIUM. 
73 
insoluble residue on being examined, was found to be com- 
posed of the usual constituents, except that there was no trace 
of narcotine; the caoutchouc was in less proportion than in 
Smyrna opium. The watery solution was heated to 100 C. 
and precipitated with sub-carbonate of ammonia. The granu- 
lar precipitate was washed, dried and then treated with sul- 
phuric ether. The etherial tinctures on being evaporated, 
afforded a slight layer of an oily substance, but no narcotine. 
The precipitate was then dissolved in boiling alcohol, and pu- 
rified by means of animal charcoal; on cooling, it afforded 5.39 
grammes of beautifully crystallised morphia. 
The ammoniacal mother waters were then boiled, and treated 
with hydrochlorate of lime; a precipitate took place formed of 
carbonate and meconate of lime. This precipitate treated by 
an excess of hot but not boiling hydrochloric acid, was dis- 
solved, and on the cooling of the solution gave 2.25 grammes 
crystallised bi-meconate of lime. The mother water of the 
first precipitate on being evaporated presented a crystalline 
mass which was partly soluble in alcohol, the insoluble portion 
proved to be sulphate of lime, whilst the soluble was formed 
almost entirely of hydrochlorate of morphia, representing 0.78 
grammes of this base. I paid particular attention to this hy- 
drochlorate, and endeavoured to discover in it, those principles 
always to be met in Turkey opium, viz. narceine, meconine, 
codeine and paramorphia; with the exception of codeine I was 
unable to detect them; this may have arisen from my having 
operated on too small a quantity; I had at the same time evi- 
dent traces of codeine. 
The formation of a marked quantity of sulphate of lime on 
the addition of the hydrochlorate of this base, would seem to 
indicate that in French opium, the morphia is in part united 
with sulphuric acid, as has been noticed by M. Dupuis in 
Turkey opium. If I had possessed more of this opium I 
would have pursued my researches still farther; but at the 
same time several interesting facts are deducible from what 
has been done: It has been seen that French opium is richer 
in morphia than Turkey opium, as 60 grammes gave 6.17 
VOL. II. NO. I. 10 
