CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINES. 203 



with initial decomposition. In water it is Init slightly 

 >ohihle, n-adily so in ether, alcohol, acetone, and ligro'in. 

 It is rapidly" oxidi/ed by the air, Ixvomes In-own, and 

 resiniu'<s Init does not absorb carlxmic acid. 



The 1 1 YI>I:< .CHLORIDE, C IO H 15 X.H( '1, forms fine yel- 

 lowish, verv deliquescent needles, which in the presence of 

 a trace of air are at once colored red ; if more air is present 

 the red changes to a brown, and in the open air a rosin is 

 formed the same as from the free Iwse. It is very easily 

 soluble, 



The HYDBOBROMTDB, C, H ls N.HBr, eryetalluee in a 



network of fine deliquescent needles, which Ixx-ome likewise 

 red on exposure to air. It is very soluble in water; less 

 so in strong alcohol, and almost insoluble in ether. 



The I'LATIX^HLORIDE, (C 10 H 15 X.HCl),PtCl 4 , forms a 

 dark-red powder, which is insoluble in cold water; very 

 soluble in warm water. It win lx> kept in dry air ; in moist 

 air it loses hydrochloric acid and l>ecomcs partially oxidi/ed. 

 Boiling water decomposes it. (C 10 H 15 N.Cl) 2 PtCl 2 forms 

 clear-brown plates, which are stable in moist air, and melt 

 at 200. It is insoluble in cold water, soluble in tailing 



water, but decomposes. In recrystallizing, warm previously 

 l>oiled water should l>c used. 



The AUROCHLORIDE, C 10 H, 5 N.HCl.AuCl 3 , occurs as a 

 light-yellow precipitate; insoluble in cold water, soluble in 

 warm water. It is decomposed by tailing water; is stable 

 when kept in a moist atmosphere. 



The IODOMETHYLATE, C 10 H 15 X.CH S I, in warm alcoholic 

 solution yields, on the addition of strong potash, a bright- 

 red color, which soon l>ecomes brown, and in alxmt an 

 hour the solution shows a greenish-bine fluorescence. This 

 rapidity of change is due to the extreme oxidi/ability of the 

 ptoma'ine. 



O. DE CoNlNCK considers this base, as well as C 8 H,,N, 

 as l>elonging to the pyridine and not to the hydropyridine 

 series. 



A BASE, (',,,11,-N, was deseril>od by GRIFFITHS (1890) 

 as derive* 1 from cultures on peptone-agar of the bacterium 



