506 METHYL-MERCAPTAN. [APP. VI. 



VI. 



ON METHYL-MERCAPTAN AS A PRODUCT OF THE PUTRE- 

 FACTION OF ALBUMINOUS SUBSTANCES AND AS A 

 GASEOUS CONSTITUENT OF THE LARGE INTESTINE. 



(Supplementary to pages 420, 428, 466.) 



Methyl-mercaptan, CH 3 . HS, is at ordinary temperatures a 

 gaseous body. Under a pressure of 752 mm. at temperatures 

 below 5. 8 C. it condenses. In its liquid form it is a colourless, 

 mobile, highly refracting liquid emitting a foetid, putrefactive smell. 

 This body, which was first prepared by Gregory 1 , and has been care- 

 fully investigated by Obermayer 2 , and especially by Clason 3 , was 

 found by M. Nencki and N. Sieber 4 to be a constant product of the 

 putrefaction of the albuminous substances, and by L. Nencki 5 to be 

 a constituent of the human intestinal gases. Sieber and Schon- 

 benko 6 have since found that when the albuminous substances are 

 fused with caustic potash, methyl-mercaptan is produced in greater 

 quantities than sulphuretted hydrogen. Lastly Rekowski 7 has just 

 examined the physiological action of methyl-mercaptan; he has 

 found it to exert a highly poisonous action on mice, guinea-pigs and 

 rabbits, though the lethal dose appears to be somewhat higher than 

 that of sulphuretted hydrogen. 



1 Gregory, Annal. d. Chem. u. Pharin., Vol. xv. 



2 Obermayer, Ber. d. deutsch. chem. Gesellsch. , 1887, p. 2918. 



3 Peter Clason, Ber. d. deutsch. chem. Gesellsch., 1887, p. 3408. 



4 M. Nencki and N. Sieber, ' Zur Kenntniss der bei der Eiweissgahrung Auftre- 

 tenden Gase.' Monatshefte /. Chem., Vol. x. (1889) p. 526. 



5 Leon Nencki, ' Das Methylmerkaptan als Bestandtheil der menschlichen Darm- 

 gase,' Monatshefte f. Chem., Vol. x. p. 862. 



6 Sieber and Schonbenko, Archives des Sciences Biologiques, Tome i. p. 315. St 

 Petersburg, 1892. 



7 L. de Eekowski, ' Sur 1'action physiologique du Me*thylmercaptan , ' Archives des 

 Sciences Biologiques, Tome n. No. 2, p. 205. St Petersburg, 1893. 



