420 THE GLANDULAR ORGAS& 



to the presence of an alkaloidal substance spermin. In combina- 

 tion with phosphoric acid, this is found in the secretion of the 

 prostate gland, as phosphate of spcrmin, and is partly decomposed 

 on exposure to the air, with the liberation of the free base (see 

 below). 



The Spermatic Liquid. The liquid in which the spermatozoa 

 are suspended is nearly transparent. It contains a small amount of 

 mucin (?); a nucleo-albumin, which has been termed sperin<(ti//, iu\(\ 

 which is precipitated by acetic acid, but is readily soluble in an 

 excess of the reagent; also, cerebrin and lecithins, phosphate of 

 spermin, and various mineral salts, among which sodium chloride and 

 the phosphates of the alkaline earths predominate. 



Spermin. Spermin, as stated above, occurs in the spermatic liquid 

 in combination with phosphoric acid, as phosphate of spermin ; it 

 is viewed as ethylenimin, C 2 H 5 N, and is manifestly closely related to 

 the diethylene diamin (piperazin) of Laden burg and Abel. 



To the free base the peculiar odor of the semen is, as I have said, 

 supposedly due. This disappears after a short while, owing to 

 a polymerization of the ethylenimin to diethylene diamin (piperazin) 

 as shown in the equation : 



NH, 



The phosphate can be readily obtained in crystalline form on slow 

 evaporation of the semen, but may also separate out spontaneously 

 on standing for about twenty-four hours. It occurs in the form of 

 hexagonal pyramids, which appear under the microscope as flat 

 needles. They are soluble in dilute acids and alkalies, as also in 

 ammonia, less readily so in hot water, and are insoluble in alcohol, 

 ether, and chloroform. These crystals are known as fidttc/ur'x 

 spermin-crystcdsy and are probably identical with the so-called 

 ( liar cot-Ley den crystals, which are commonly found in asthmatic 

 sputa, and also occur in the blood and lymph-gland of leukaemic 

 patients. They have likewise been observed in dried egg-nllnmiin 

 and in anatomical specimens preserved in alcohol, and also develop 

 in red bone-marrow that has been exposed to the air for a few days. 

 Heated to 100 C., the crystals turn yellow and melt near 170 C., 

 but are at the same time decomposed. 



To isolate the free base, the semen is extracted with alcohol and 

 then with dilute sulphuric acid. If the acid extract is then treated 

 with baryta-water and evaporated at a low temperature, the free 

 base is obtained. It can be precipitated from its solution by treating 

 with auric chloride, platinum chloride, argentic nitrate, tannic acid, 

 phosphotungstic acid, etc. 



Spermin has attracted much attention of late, owing to the 

 stimulating effect which the substance is supposed to exert upon the 

 oxidation processes of the body, the functions of the central nervous 



