"Take of morphia, six drachms; acetic acid, three fluid drachms; distilled water, four fluid drachms. Mix the acid with the water, and pour it upon the morphia to saturation. Evaporate the solution with a gentle heat, that crystals may form.

This process forms a variable salt owing to the expulsion of a portion of the acid during the evaporation of the salt to dryness.

Qualities. - Acetate of morphia rarely crystallizes in a regular manner; it is usually in the form of a greyish-white powder, which, when examined by a magnifying lens, displays irregular radiated masses of acicular crystals. It is also deliquescent, which varies its strength when it is kept for some time. It is very soluble in water; but the water should be slightly acidulated, as, when neutral, it is partially decomposed by water. The solution is decomposed by the alkalies, their carbonates, and the metallic salts, and the morphia precipitated. The best mode of employing the acetate is to dissolve a given weight of the morphia in an excess of diluted acetic acid.

Acetate of morphia is a compound of 1 eq. of morphia = 288.23 + 1 acetic acid=51.48, making the equiv.=33971, or 84.77 parts of morphia + 15.23 of acetic acid in 100 parts of the salt.

Medical uses.-Acetate of morphia possesses narcotic powers, and may be employed in all cases in which opium is useful; but it has an advantage over opium in not causing headache or sickness. It, however, determines more to the skin than opium, and consequently should not be ordered in phthisis when the morning sweats are prevalent. The dose is from gr. 1/6 to gr. 1/2, in any bland vehicle.