Publisher's Synopsis
Lin Zexu may not have destroyed the English opium in 1839. This work suggests he may have made a morphine salt to distribute as anti-opium pills to Guangdong province. In 1839, the emperor sent Lin to Canton to stop the opium trade. He seized the British opium. He did not burn it. He dug three huge ponds and soaked the opium in salt, then added quicklime and let it sit overnight while it separated. He then filtered the result. This repeats a number of simple experiments done by 19th century European chemists using the same ingredients and methods. Could Lin Zexu have manufactured a simple morphine salt?
