CH. XVIIL] NON-PATHOGENIC ORGANISMS. 233 



toplasm. Similarly carbohydrates and inorganic salts, as 

 phosphates, potassium, and sodium salts, are dissociated by 

 them, inasmuch as they require a certain amount of carbon, 

 phosphorus, potassium, and sodium, for building up their 

 own bodies. In this process of decomposition certain 

 alkaloids are produced, the composition of which is not 

 accurately known, and which are called by the collective 

 name of ptomaines (Selmi and others). These alkaloids are 

 known to have a poisonous (toxic) effect when introduced in 

 sufficient quantities into the system of a living animal. Very 

 possibly the poisonous property of some articles of food, that 

 have undergone putrefaction or some unknown kind of 

 fermentation, is caused by some ferment, the product of 

 micro-organisms ; (sausage-poisoning, poisoning by bad fish 

 and other articles). Brieger (Die Ptomaine, Berlin, 1885) 

 has isolated from putrid proteid materials several alkaloids 

 and has studied more accurately their toxic properties. 



Gaspard, Panum, Bergmann, Billroth, Burdon Sanderson, 

 and many others had already shown, that by putrefaction of 

 animal substances, a substance can be obtained the septic 

 poison or sepsin by various chemical processes which in 

 themselves are destructive of every living micro-organism ; 

 this substance injected into the vascular system of animals, 

 especially dogs, in sufficient quantities, produces a marked 

 febrile rise of temperature, and is capable of causing death 

 with the symptoms of acute poisoning, e.g. shivering, vomiting 

 and purging, spasms, torpor, collapse and death. After 

 death is found severe congestion and haemorrhage of the 

 lungs and intestine, particularly the duodenum and rectum ; 

 haemorrhage in the pleura, pericardium, peritoneum, and 

 endocardium. This putrid infection, identical with poisoning 

 by ptomaines, leads to death in twelve to twenty-four hours, 

 or even less. On injecting smaller quantities only a febrile 



