It is in such cases as the above, that the physicians of the United States have employed the Secale Cornutum (Ergot,) the judicious use of which would have probably superseded the necessity of instruments, and prevented or arrested the haemorrhagic discharge. VII. CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY. 63. _State in which Morphia exists in Opium._--In the 80th article of our Quarterly Summary for January, we stated that MR. ROBINET had announced the discovery of a new acid in opium, with which the morphia was combined; while the meconic acid was alleged to be united with soda. To the former salt, he gave the name of _codeate of morphia_. MR. ROBIQUET, however, has shown, that the pretended _codeate_, is a _muriate_ of morphia, formed by double decomposition between the muriate of soda, employed by MR. ROBINET in his analysis, and meconate of morphia. The same decomposition shows the source of the meconate of soda. We observe that MR. ROBINET admits his mistake.--_Archives Generales de Medicine._ 64. _Peculiar principles of Narcotic Plants._--"Dr. BRANDES of Sabzerflen, having been prevented by extreme illness, induced by investigating the peculiar principles of narcotic plants, from completing his inquiries, has announced the results of his labours in general terms. He states, that he has found a peculiar narcotic principle in all the narcotic plants; as belladonna, hyosciamus, conium, stramonium, chelidonium, digitalis, &c. The narcotic principles are readily soluble in alcohol, ether, acids, and water, and of a highly offensive odour. This odour is so great in the principle of conium, that it is almost impossible for an individual of an irritable habit, to remain in the room, where there is an etherial solution, containing only a few grains of it. The smell of such a solution is equal to the smell, arising from twenty or thirty pounds of the plants. It is also remarkable, that as this principle is neutralized by acid, the disagreeable odour disappears, or is greatly diminished; which so far agrees with the circumstance, that the plants themselves give little of their peculiar smell, because the narcotic principle is not in a free state. Dr. BRANDES has promised to communicate the manner of obtaining the principles."--_Lond. Med. Repository, Feb. 1826._ 65. _Relative quantities of Cinchonia and Quinia in the most esteemed Varieties of Peruvian Bark._--Mr. BALLY asserts, that practitioners, from observation, have classed the Peruvian barks in the following order;--first, the gray loxa bark, (_Cinchona Officinalis_;) then the red bark (_Cinchona Magnifolia_ of RUIZ and PAVON, or _Oblongifolia_ of MUTIS;) and lastly the yellow bark, or calisaya, (_Cinchona Cordifolia_ of MUTIS, or _pubescens_ of VALLI.) The _Cinchona Officinalis_ furnishes much cinchonia, and little quinia; the _Cinchona Magnifolia_ affords about equal quantities of the two salifiable principles, while the _Cordifolia_ contain much quinia.