234 BACTERIAL POISONS. 



continued to exist, and even at tlie present time it is the 

 eutise of no little misunderstanding. Tims, MABiNO-Zuoo 

 (1885), in his excellent researches on the genesis of pto- 

 maines, applies the term neurine, following BAEYER'S pre- 

 cedent, to the oxyethyl base, C 5 H 15 NO 2 , which is really 

 eholine, according to the proper nomenclature. 



AVe have gone somewhat at this point in detail into the 

 history and the proper use of the terms ueurine and eholine 

 because of the confusion which is sure to arise if the dis- 

 tinction is iiot thoroughly borne in mind. The name 

 neurine, then, should be used only to denote the vinyl base 

 C 8 H 18 NO. It is trimethyl-vinyl-ammonium hydrate. On 

 the other hand, eholine is applied to the oxyethyl base 

 C 5 H I5 NO.j, which is trimethyl-oxyethyl-ammonium hydrate. 



Neurine lias been obtained by BRIEGP;R (1883) in the 

 putrefaction of horse, beef, and human flesh for five to six 

 days in summer. It also occurs in the commercial, so-called 

 " neurine," together with eholine (BmEGER, I., 34). Li i:r, 

 REICH obtained it in the decomposition of protagon by 

 baryta. And BRIEGER (I., 60) also has isolated it along 

 with eholine from fresh human brains, by boiling with 

 baryta; but has not obtained it by digesting the brains on 

 the water-bath with two per cent, hydrochloric acid. It 

 lias been found in putrid, and as result of this change 

 poisonous, mushrooms (BERLINERBLAU, 1888). 



The genesis of neurine is still rather obscure, and it is 

 to l>e hoped that future investigations may shed more light 

 upon the mysterious production of this highly poisonous 

 base. Its occurrence in the brain together with eholine 

 would seem to indicate that it is either derived from 

 eholine by the removal of water, or that it exists together 

 with eholine, partly replacing the latter in the molecule of 

 protagou (lecithin), according to the hypothesis put for- 

 ward by LIPPMANN (page 241). The question of its 

 derivation from eholine by withdrawal of a molecule of 

 water has already been subjected to an interesting experi- 

 mental discussion. CH. GRAM attempted to explain the 

 production of neurine and other muscari lie-like ptomaines 

 as due to the dehydrating action of the acids employed in 



