MORPHINA
\mɔːfˈiːnə], \mɔːfˈiːnə], \m_ɔː_f_ˈiː_n_ə]\
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A solid, colourless alkali; crystallizable in beautiful pyramids, truncated and transparent; soluble in alcohol, and slightly so in boilinr water. It exists, combined with meconic acid, in opium. It may be obtained by decomposing, by means of ammonia or calcined magnesia, an aqueous solution of opium made in the cold. The following is the process of the pharm. U. S. Opium, sliced, distilled water, alcohol, animal charcoal, each a sufficient quantity; solution of ammonia. Macerate the opium with four pints of distilled water for 24 hours, and having worked it with the hand, digest for 24 hours, and strain. Macerate the residue twice successively with distilled water, and strain. Mix the infusions: evaporate to six pints, and filter; then add first five pints of alcohol, and afterwards three fluidounces of the solution of ammonia, previously mixed with with half a pint of alcohol. after 24 hours, pour in the remainder of the solution of ammonia, mixed as before with half a pint of alcohol; and the liquor aside for 24 hours, that crystal may form. To purify these, boil with two pints of alcohol till they are dissolved; filter the solution, while hot, through animal charcoal, and set it aside to crystallize. Morphia dissolves perfectly in the acid, which it saturates; and with which it forms very crystallizable salts, with the exception of the acetate. All these salts, have a bitter taste, and act upon the animal economy in the same manner as opium, but more powerfully. The acetate is the salt commonly employed in medicine. It was, at one time,supposed that morphia is the purely sedative part of opium, divested of its irritating properties; but experience has not confirmed this. On the contrary, it will generally disagree where opium does. Dose of morphia 1/4 to 3/4 of a grain.
By Robley Dunglison
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