CHEMICAL BASIS OF THE ANIMAL BODY. 205 



THE PTOMAINES. 



The now extensive literature of these substances may be most conveniently 

 and inclusively indicated by reference to the following publications. Selmi (to 

 whom the name ptomaine is due), Suite ptomaine od alcaloidi cadaverici. Bologna, 

 1878. Gautier, Compt. Rend. T. xciv. (1882), p. 1119. Guareschi e Mosso, Arch. ital. 

 de Biol. T. n. (1883), p. 367 ; in. (1883), p. 241. Abstr. in Jn.f. prakt. Chem. (N.F.), 

 Bd. xxvii. S. 425 ; xxvm. S. 504. Brieger, Zt. f. physiol. Chem. Bd. vn. (1883), 

 S. 274. Ber. d. d. chem. Gesell. Bd. xvi. (1883), Sn. 1186, 1405. E. u. H. 

 Salkowski, Ibid. S. 1191. Brieger, Ibid. Bd. xvn. (1884), Sn. 515, 1137, 2741 ; xix. 

 (1886), S. 3119. Ueber Ptomaine, i, n. Berlin, 1885 ; m. 1886 : gives literature to 

 date. See resume 1 with references by 0. Schulz, Biol. Centralb. Bd. vi. (1886 

 87), Sn. 685, 726, 739. Gautier, Bull, de Vacad. de med. Jan. 12, 19, 1886 (largely 

 on the leukomaines). Udranszky u. Baumann, Zt. f. physiol. Chem. Bd. xin. 

 (1889), S. 562. Brieger, Virchow's Arch. Bd. cxv. (1889), S. 483. The last contains 

 a most useful list of known ptomaines with empirical and constitutional formulae, 

 name of discoverer with date of discovery, sources, action and characteristic reactions. 



Although the substances to which the above name has been given 

 (from TTTw/xa a corpse) are now known to belong chiefly to the class of 

 compounds called amines ', so that they provide no chemical sequence 

 to the bodies previously described, their characteristic production 

 during the putrefactive decomposition of animal tissues seems to make 

 this a suitable place for treating of them. 



The ptomaines as a group may be said to closely resemble the class 

 of substances long known under the name of alkaloids and obtained 

 from plant tissues. The resemblance is shown not merely in their 

 chemical constitution, but more obviously in their similar solubilities 

 in various fluids, in their general behaviour towards reagents and in 

 some cases even in their specific reactions, and more especially in their 

 frequently powerful (poisonous) action on the animal organism, the ac- 

 tions of certain ptomaines being almost identical with those of certain 

 vegetable alkaloids. The ptomaines may therefore be regarded as 

 alkaloids of animal origin. The close similarity of the two classes of 

 substances has hence endowed the ptomaines with very considerable 

 interest from a medico-legal point of view in virtue of the not infrequent 

 use of the vegetable-alkaloids for criminal purposes and the now obvious 

 possibility that the detection of alkaloids in the corpse may afford no 

 reliable information as to the administration of the same during life 2 . 



1 An amine is strictly speaking a compound ammonia in which one or more 

 atoms of hydrogen have been replaced by some oxygen-free radicle. Several of the 

 ptomaines however contain oxygen in their molecule as do also many of the vegetable 

 alkaloids. The constitution of those ptomaines which contain oxygen has not in 

 most cases as yet been as definitely determined as has that of those which contain 

 none. 



3 For cases in point see Husemann, Arch. d. Pharm. (Eeihe 3) Bde. xvi. xvn. 

 xix. xx. (1882), xxi. (1883), Sn. 169, 327, 187, 270, 401, u. 481. 



