NEW RESEARCHES ON OPIUM. 
79 
If pseudo-morphia is not morphia, may it not be some com- 
bination of this base, (which, however, I do not believe) in 
which it loses all its poisonous properties? 
P. S. My memoir had already been presented to the Aca- 
demy of Sciences, when that of M. Couerbe, partly on the 
same subject, appeared in the Jinnales de la Physique et 
Chimie. I therefore determined to print mine, without altera- 
tion. I shall not enter into a discussion with M. Couerbe on 
the few points on which we differ; these slight differences are 
almost inevitable. One passage, however, requires notice; 
M. Couerbe attributes the discovery of Paramorphia to M. 
Thiboumery, forgetting that at this time I was engaged in a 
series of researches on the constituents of opium, which were 
directed by M. Thiboumery with great sagacity, but always 
in concert with me, and according to my orders. M. Couerbe 
also forgets that before either he or I, (I am uncertain which, 
for M. Couerbe was at that time in my laboratory,) thought of 
passing a current of carbonic acid through the lime-water con- 
taining morphia, I had ascertained that morphia really existed 
in this solution, and could be precipitated by ammonia, if the 
liquid was previously acidulated with hydrochloric acid. 
I am ignorant why M. Couerbe has given the name of 
Thebaine to paramorphia; this name would seem to indicate 
that this substance is only met with in Egyptian opium, whilst 
Turkey opium contains it in the largest proportion. At the 
same time, I am indebted to M. Couerbe for his having veri- 
fied my discovery of two new substances in opium — narceine 
and paramorphia, and for having added many interesting facts 
to the history of this latter substance, which appears to play 
an important part in the action which opium exercises on the 
system. In fact, hitherto it has been difficult to account for 
the excitement produced by opium in conjunction with its 
other effects, as it could not be attributed to narcotine, mor- 
phia, or codeine. From the following communication from 
M. Majendie it would appear to be owing to paramorphia. 
"I have experimented with your two substances; pseudo 
