CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINES. 201 



which SMU give way to a condition of exaltation. Toward 

 the end tetanic convulsions set in, followed by almost com- 

 plete paralysis. 



A II \-r., C, ( II 13 \, isoiiieric with parvolinc, has been ex- 

 traeted by (J.U'TiKR and ETARD (1K81) from decomposing 

 mackerel and horseflesh. The met IKK! employed by these 

 chemists for its isolation is given on page 164. The iden- 

 tity of this base with the synthetic parvoline, obtained by 

 \\ A.\(.I: by heating ammonia with propionic aldehyde in a 

 >ealed tiilx- at 'J(M), cannot IK I considered to l>e definitely 

 settle* I, although an apparent identity exists in regard to 

 their U>iling-|>oints. Tims, the synthetic parvoline boils at 

 lii.'^-lJKi , while GAUTIKR and ETARD assign to their 

 Iwse a l>oiling-]>oint a little U'low 200. Further investi- 

 gation is ncKvssary to decide upon the question of the iden- 

 tity of this base with parvoline, or of the ptomaine C 8 H 13 N 

 with hydrocollidinc. 



The free base is an oily, amlM'iM-olored liquid, possessing 

 the odor of hawthorn blossoms. It is slightly soluble in 

 water ; very soluble in alcohol, in ether, and in chloroform. 

 Its boiling-point^ as stated above, is a trifle below 200. 

 Like the bases ( 1 8 H 1S N and ( 1 IO H, 5 N it l>ecomes brown and 

 soon resinifies on e.\]>osure to air. 



The PLATINOCHLOUIDE, (O 9 H 1S N.II< 1 l) 2 PtCl 4 (Pt = 

 2.S.;.") per cent.), is slightly soluble, crystalline, and flesh 

 colored ; exposed to the air it soon In comes pink. 



The AUUOCHLORIDE is quit*' soluble. 



A BASE, C 10 H 15 N, was isolated by GuARESCHl and 

 Mo.sso(188.'i) from ox-blood fibrin which had l>een allowed 

 to putrefy for five months. In. 1887 it was re-obtained from 

 putrid fibrin by (iiJARE&ciil, who this time ascribed to it the 

 formula C IO I I, 3 N. In 1886 OECHSNER DE CONINCK found 

 it among the basic products formed in the putrefaction of 

 t he jel ly-fish (jionlpe* marine, HUGOUNENQ, page 21). The 

 method used for its extraction was that of (JAUTIER and 

 KTARD (se<' page 164). It forms a brownish oil of strong 

 alkaline reaction, which soon resinifies. It possesses an 



