Ptomaines and leucomaines, or the putrefactive and physiological alkaloids / By Victor C. Vaughan and Frederick G. Novy.

  • Vaughan, Victor C. (Victor Clarence), 1851-1929.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ptomaines and leucomaines, or the putrefactive and physiological alkaloids / By Victor C. Vaughan and Frederick G. Novy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    precipitates with phosphomolybclic acid, platinum chloride, Mayer's reagent^ picric acid, phosphotungstic acid, Maeme's reagent, iodine in potassium iodide, tannin, bi- chromate of potassium, palladium chloride, and mercuric chloride. It reduces ferric salts. From decomposed fibrin the same investigators obtained one well-defined ptomaine. Analyses of the platinum compound of this substance gave the formula Cn,Hj-lSr. This substance will be discussed in a future chapter. From fresh brain substance they separated ammonia, trimethylamine, and an undetermined base. These, how- ever, are not to be regarded as products of putrefaction, but as resulting from the action of the reagents ujdou the brain substance. The trimethylamine probably arises from the splitting up of lecithin, while the undetermined base is most likely choline, which also results from the breaking up of the lecithin molecule. They also show that when Dragendoeff's method is used basic substances can be obtained from fresh meat, and these are shown to be produced by the action of the sul- phuric acid on the flesh. To Brieger, of Berlin, is due the credit of isolating and determining the composition of a number of ptomaines. From putrid flesh he obtained neuridine, CgHj^Ng, and neurine, C5HJ3NO. The former is inert, while the latter is poisonous. From decomposed fish he separated a poisonous base, C2H4 (NH2)2, which is an isomeride of ethylenediamine, muscarine, C5H15NO3, and an inert substance, C^Hj^NOg, gadiniue. Rotten cheese yielded neuridine and trimethyla- mine. Decomposed glue gave neuridine, dimethylamine, and a muscarine-like base. In the cadaver, he has found in difi^erent stages of decomposition, choline, neuridine, tri- methylamine, cadaverine, C5Hj^N2j putrescine, C^H^g-^a; ^^^