On some New Volatile Alkaloids given off during Putrefaction. 387 



mentum cruets of observing an artificial light through a long space of 

 air was attempted by means of the revolving light on Beachy Head, 

 as seen from Worthing at a distance of twenty-seven miles. It gave 

 a negative result ; but on account of the great difficulty of detecting 

 slight breaks in a faint thread of light, no great reliance is to be placed 

 on the experiment. A similar doubt rests on the authors' observa- 

 tions of fixed stars, and on the non-recognition by Fraunhofer of the 

 ordinary lines in the light of Sirius and Castor, while on the other 

 hand he did detect D and b in that of other stars. The origin of 

 these lines is still an open question. 



The spectra of artificial flames sometimes exhibit bright lines 

 coincident with the dark spaces of the solar spectrum. Thus the 

 yellow band in the flames of soda, and several other substances, is 

 identical in refrangibility with D ; but the most remarkable case is 

 that of charcoal or sulphur burnt in nitre ; the spectrum shows three 

 very prominent lines, two of which coincide with A and D, while a 

 faint red line appears at B, and a group between it and A. 



A map is also given of the bright lines, principally orange, that 

 make their appearance when nitrate of strontia is placed on the 

 ignited wick of a spirit-lamp. 



"On some New Volatile Alkaloids given off during Putrefaction." 

 By F. Crace Calvert, Ph.D., F.R.S. &c. 



Some eighteen months ago my friend Mr. J. A Ransome, surgeon 

 to the Royal Infirmary, Manchester, induced me to make some 

 researches with the view of ascertaining the nature of the products 

 given off from putrid wounds, and more especially in the hope of 

 throwing some light upon the contagion known as hospital gangrene. 

 I fitted up some apparatus to condense the noxious products from 

 such wounds ; but the quantity obtained was so small, that it was 

 necessary for me to acquire a more general knowledge of the various 

 substances produced during the putrefaction of animal matter, before 

 I could determine the nature of the products from sloughing wounds. 

 I therefore began a series of experiments, the general results of which 

 I now wish to lay before the Society. 



Into each of a number of small barrels twenty lbs. of meat and 

 fish were introduced, and to prevent the clotting together of the mass, 

 it was mixed layer by layer with pumice-stone. The top of each 

 barrel was perforated in two places, one hole being for the purpose 

 of admitting air, whilst tln'ough the other a tube was passed which 

 reached to the bottom of the barrel. This tube was put in con- 

 nexion with two bottles containing chloride of platinum, and these 

 in their turn connected with an aspirator. By this arrangement air 

 was made to circulate through the casks, so as to become charged with 

 the products of putrefaction and to convey them to the platinum salt. 

 A yellow amorphous precipitate soon appeared, which was collected, 

 washed with water and alcohol, and dried. This precipitate was found 

 to contain C, H, and N, but what is highly remarkable, sulphur and 

 phosphorus enter into its composition. The presence of C, H, and 

 N was ascertained by elementary analysis ; for the sulphur and 



