CHAPTER XI. 



CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINES. 



THE basic substances described in the following pages 

 arc arranged, so far as possible, in the regular natural order. 

 An inspection of the list of these bases will show the remark- 

 able fact of the predominancy of the amine type. Almost 

 two-thirds of the known ptomaines contain only C, H, and 

 N, and represent simple ammonia substitution compounds. 

 Of the oxygenated bases, all of those whose constitution is 

 known possess the trimethylamine molecule as their basic 

 constituent, and it is quite probable that most, if not all, of 

 the remaining ptomaines will l>e found to possess the same 

 or a siniilar basic nucleus. 



It will be seen, furthermore, that a very large number of 

 the ptomaines descrilxxl possess little or no toxic action, 

 and are, therefore, physiologically inert. It would seem, 

 as BKIECEK lias already pointed out, that a certain quantity 

 of oxygen is necessary to the formation of poisonous bases. 

 A free supply of oxygen, on the other hand, invariably 

 yields non-toxic ptomaines. The poisonous bases begin to 

 appear on about the seventh day of putrefaction, and in 

 turn disappear if this is allowed to go on for a considerable 

 period of time. 



METIIYLAMINE, CH S .NH 2 . This is the simplest organic 

 base that is formed in the process of putrefaction. It is 

 ammonia in which one atom of hydrogen has IH-CII replaced 

 by the methyl radical. It occurs in herring-brine (ToL- 

 L.ENS, isiiii ; llocKLlsCH, 1885) ; in decomposing herring, 

 twelve days in spring (BocKLlSCH) ; in pike, six days in 

 summer ( HOTKLIKCH) ; in haddock, two months at a low 

 temperature (BocKUSCH) ; in the fermentation of choline 

 chloride (HASEBROEK). BRIEGER has shown it to be 



