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MISCELLANY. 
not be obtained ; but the amount of muriate of morphia was so great, that 
it could not fall much short of the average produce of such a quantity of 
opium. 
These experiments I had considered as conclusive; but finding the 
new Edinburgh Pharmacopceia retained the old formula, and that the re- 
marks made on the tincture by various writers on Materia Medica and 
Pharmacy seemed to indicate previous experiment, I feared that either too 
small a quantity had been experimented upon, or that some source of er- 
ror had been overlooked. To obviate any such mistake, several portions, 
each of twelve ounces, were successively examined; in none, however, 
was morphia detected. As a check to the processes, several portions also 
of tincture of opium (each of which would contain, by estimate, a quanti- 
ty of opium equivalent to that in twelve ounces of the ammoniated tinc- 
ture,) were treated in precisely the same modes as the ammoniated tinc- 
ture had been. In these cases morphia was separated without difficulty, 
thus proving the efficacy of the processes. 
It may be observed, that before any of the tinctures were boiled with 
magnesia, the greater part of the ammonia and alcohol in the one, and of 
alcohol in the other, was expelled by gentle heat on the water-bath ; as, 
in some cases, the alcohol in the liquid would be sufficient to take up the 
morphia after the decomposition of its salts by magnesia. . The loss of 
ammonia caused no deposition of morphia. 
These facts seem to show that if, as I believe is universally admitted, 
the medicinal effects of opium are attributable chiefly, if not entirely, to 
the morphia which it contains, the opium employed in this tincture might 
with advantage be omitted. 
Edinburgh Medical and Sur gicalJournal 
