ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

1276

, tracelity-

o(

Hiatt, fur 1836. S. 491) procured 15 per cent, of pure morphia, but scarcelycodeia. It is obvious, therefore, that Constantinople opium is of unequal q u ‘ 0 f theis probable that opium of unequal qualities, and produced in several P a ^ ars til 6Turkish Empire , is carried to the capital, and, being' exported from thence,name of Constantinople opium.

3. Egyptian Opium, (Opium Egyptiacum ).—It occurs in round n a ^cakes of about three inches diameter, covered externally ' v ,vestiges of some leaf. It is usually very dry. It is distinguish t otthe two jireceding varieties by its reddish colour, analogous t ° iiel ini£' ssoccotrine or hepatic aloes. Some very inferior qualities are soioffered for sale, and which appear to the sight and touch as , itsadulterated. By keeping it does not blacken like the other k» g yodour is less strong and somewhat musty. Guibourt says, tn a | j, ; idposure to the air it becomes soft. Egyptian opium is for the ininferior to either of the preceding kinds ; but its quality is by n°uniform. Some kinds become damp by keeping. ^ rll ,

Guibourt tells us it yields only five-sevenths of the morphia obtained froin_ p**"opium. Berthemot also states that it contains less morphia than either furtl |C ,

ceding kinds of opium, and that the morphia is more mixed with narcotiue. , r Y~,vat fl t... .......a,;.. ..Wv. 1" . ...i

adds, that the morphia which it yields is purified with great difficulty. _ 1 0 l)t»'" f -.infusion of Egyptian opium has a distinct odour of acetic acid. Dr. Christ* 80 ” sa ys. *’about IOJ percent, of pure white hydrochlorate of morphia from it, which,about the quantity procured from good Turkey opium. Merck (op. supra “only from 6 to 7 percent, of morphia, but much meconic acid.

4. Trebizon Opium (Persian Opium). —Some years since a ot

opium was imported into this country from Trebizon, incylindrical sticks, which by pressure have become somewhat ^ iTheir length is about six inches ; their diameter about hali an 1 a ,jillittle more or less. Each one is enveloped in a smooth shiny P a P ]ji* 5tied with cotton; its colour is similar to that of soccotrine aloes-

the opiate odour stronger than that of the Egyptian kind, but b

Smyrna opium, and mixed somewhat with a musty odour; its j tl nhintensely bitter. It is commonly termed in commerce Persian otbut the specimens I received came from Trebizon. It is a very

kind. rota' 1 ^

Merck ( Pharrn. Centr.-Blatt. fur 1836, S. 493) could obtain no morphi^.^ a bi'^the ordinary mode of proceeding. He, however, afterwards succeeded in obta crr ol

1 percent. It gave only a trace of narcotina. There must, I suspect, be so .these statements, as this opium is certainly richer in morphia than is here s

i" n op* ,

5. Indian Opium ( Opium Indicum). —Three varieties of Indi are known in commerce, viz.:— Malwa, Benares, and Patna 0p iuthe two latter kinds are undistinguishable I shall include them

one head of Bengal Opium. 0 f tl* 1 ’

a. Bengal Opium (Benares and Patna Opium). —A few' cbes pvkind have been recently imported. Its preparation is fully desci

w'i

Dr. Butter {On the Prepar. of Opium for the China Market, , ,Asiat. Sop. of Beng. v. 165, 1836). I have been kindly ^' ur j? 1 q| fc . ye 3 - 1 '*samples of the Benares and Patna kinds, of the growth o-1835-36, and 1837-38, by Mr. Maitland, of the India House. ^g. 3 , 1 )^Bengal opium is imported in balls, each weighing about '1^

a half, and packed in chests, each containing about forty b c ])il<yballs arc hard, round, like cannon-balls, and about the size o ag^'head. Externally each ball is made up of poppy petals, firm y