PTOMAINES AND TOXALBUMINS. 



Brieger from putrefying horseflesh which was kept at a low tempe- 

 rature for several months. Unlike it, however, the free base has 

 an acid reaction, while typhotoxin is strongly alkaline. It differs also 

 in its physiological action, being more toxic and producing convul- 

 sions ; the heart is arrested in diastole. Typhotoxin, on the other 

 hand, does not induce convulsions and the heart is arrested in systole. 



Tetanin, C,,H, N,O 4 . Obtained by Brieger from impure cul- 

 tures of the tetanus bacillus cultivated in bouillon in an atmosphere 

 of hydrogen. (The tetanus bacillus is a strict anaerobic.) Obtained 

 subsequently by the same chemist from the amputated arm of a pa- 

 tient with tetanus. This base has been obtained, by crystallization 

 from hot alcohol, in clear yellow plates which are not very soluble in 

 water. The hydrochloride is a deliquescent salt which dissolves 

 readily in alcohol. When injected into guinea-pigs or mice in rather 

 large doses, tetanin first causes the animal to fall into a lethargic 

 condition, followed by increased rapidity of respiration and tetanic 

 convulsions. In guinea-pigs opisthotonos is induced, together with 

 the characteristic tetanic convulsions as seen in animals suffering from 

 tetanus. Three other toxic bases have been obtained by Brieger 

 from cultures of the tetanus bacillus, which cause similar symptoms. 

 One tetanotoxin is given by Brieger the formula C 5 H M N. A 

 second base, the composition of which has not been determined, is 

 called spasmotoxin. 



Cholera Ptomaines. Brieger has obtained from pure cultures 

 of the cholera spirillum several of the toxic ptomaines heretofore re- 

 ferred to cadaverin, putrescin, cholin, methyl-guanidin. In addi- 

 tion to these he found two toxic substances which appear to be pe- 

 culiar products of this microorganism. One induces cramps and 

 muscular tremors in small animals, the other diarrhoea and symp- 

 toms of collapse. 



Toxalbumins. Researches by Brieger and Frankel (1890) show 

 that very toxic substances of a different nature are present in cultures 

 of some of the pathogenic bacteria ; these have been designated by the 

 authors named "toxalburnins." 



Roux and Yersin had previously shown that filtered cultures of the 

 diphtheria bacillus contain a toxic substance which produces paralysis 

 ami death in ^ninea-pi-s and rabbits. This substance lias now been 

 obtained in a pure state and its toxic action tested by the authors 

 ti'' s t ii.-nm-d. It is destroyed by a temperature of On ('., but remains 

 in an active condit i .n in cultures which have been sterilized by seve- 

 ral hours' exposure to a temperature of 50, or in those which have 

 IMM-II passed thro.,-!, a clay filter. It is not volatile, and differs essen- 

 li;lll . v fr " m tll(1 i't"inainosand also from the soluble ferments. It 

 was obtained as a snow-white, amorphous mass which was ex- 



