POISONS. 131 



of poisonous agents, especially some alkaloids (ptomains)." 

 The most constant bacterial form met with in putrefaction is 

 the bacterium termo. Some attempts have been made to iso- 

 late and examine septic poisons. This, so far, has only served 

 to show more positively the production of poisons and the 

 nature of their action. Panum found the poison formed in 

 the decomposition of nitrogenous substances was reduced in 

 virulence about one-fifth by eleven hours continuous boiling 

 of the infusion. This continuous boiling was certainly suffi- 

 cient to show that the poisonous effects were not due to living 

 micro-organisms remaining in the fluid. In this case, more- 

 over, some flakes of coagulated albumen were found in the 

 liquid, which upon trial proved to contain a very virulent 

 poison. This fully Accounts for the loss of virulence by the 

 liquid. This experimentation shows that the substance had 

 none of the characters of a molecular motion poison described 

 by Baron Liebig; nor is it a decomposing substance or a 

 ferment, as each and all of these are destroyed by heat. The 

 chemical structure of the substance is of a more stable nature. 

 There is a sharp distinction manifest between the action of 

 these poisons when developed in the animal body by the re- 

 moleculization of the organisms in situ, and when developed 

 out of the' body, collected and administered separate from the 

 organisms. In the latter case, the effects produced are similar 

 in their general character to that of the alkaloids from the 

 higher plants, that is, comparatively speaking, they are im- 

 mediate. The disturbance is usually manifest within a few 

 hours at most; and if the animal withstands this immediate 

 effect of the poison it returns to health, i. e., all the symptoms 

 pass away and no disease is produced ; whereas, if the micro- 

 organisms which elaborate the poison are planted in the 

 tissues of the animal and grow, there is no such immediate 

 poisoning. On the contrary, it remains well for a day or 

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