OPIUM AND DERIVATIVES. Opium (U. S. P.) is the concrete, milky exudation obtained by incising the un ripe capsules of Papaver somniferum (nat. ord., Papaveracew), or white poppy plant, which is indigenous to Asia Minor, but is now grown in many other parts of the world. It occurs in moist semi solid chestnut-colored masses, or lumps, with an earthy, narcotic odor and a bit ter taste. The crude drug should con tain not less than 9 per cent. of crystal line morphine; when dried or powdered it should contain not less than 13 per cent. nor more than 15 per cent. of mor phine.
The principle properties of opium are extracted by water, alcohol, and by dilute acid, but not by ether.
The chemical composition of opium is very complex. Seventeen alkaloids have been found in it, also meconic and lactic acids, and meconin, meconoisin, and porphyroxin, neutral substances, and glu cose. The alkaloids found in this drug are morphine, codeine, narcotise, the baine, narceine, papaverine, pseudomor phine, laudanine, hydrocotarnine, cryp topinc, protopine, codamine, rhceadine, meconidine, laudanosine, lanthopine, and gnoscopine.
MourrurNE (at least 9 per cent. in crude opium) is the principle narcotic constituent. It occurs in white prisms
of silvery lustre and bitter taste, and is soluble in amyl-alcohol, in 300 parts of alcohol, in 4000 parts of ether, and in 5000 parts of water. It unites with the acids to form soluble salts.
Morphine acetate occurs as a yellow ish-white powder, which turns brownish and loses acetic acid with age. It has an acetic-acid odor and is soluble in 2 'A parts of water.
Morphine hydrochlorale occurs in white, crystalline squares, or fine, white needles, having a bitter taste, and is solu ble in 24 parts of water and in 62 parts of alcohol.
Morphine meconate, or bimeconate, is the form in which most morphine exists in opium; it occurs as a feeble yellowish white, crystalline powder, which is solu ble in alcohol and in 25 parts of water and is reputed to produce a less agreeable effect upon the brain, stomach, and in testines than the other salts.
Morphine sulphate, the salt most used in the United States, occurs in fine, white, crystalline needles, of silky lustre and bitter taste, it is soluble in 21 parts of water and in 7'02 parts of alcohol.