ALKALOID AL TOXINS. II 



or indirectly by the breaking down of protoplasmal 

 albuminoids. The agents that effect the break- 

 ing down are the hydrolyzing ferments of the 

 economy. It is well to recall here that these 

 phenomena of hydrolyzation occur within the cell 

 itself and in a practically reducing medium,, as we 

 have already stated. The inmost mechanism of 

 these phenomena cannot here be detailed ; it will 

 be found described by Armand Gautier in the 

 Chimie Biologique, and in his work Chimie de la 

 Cellule Vivante* 



The extraction of these bases is an extremely deli- 

 cate operation. It is necessary to operate with a 

 large quantity of substance, say 50 kilos. The sub- 

 stance is finely chopped, then exhausted with twice 

 its weight of water acidulated with acetic acid (0.2 

 Cc. per liter) and containing a trace of oil of mustard, 

 which is intended to act as an antiseptic. The albu- 

 minoids are precipitated by boiling, the solution then 

 filtered, evaporated in a vacuum at 60 C., and the 

 bases extracted with 95-per cent, alcohol. 



The alkaloidal bases obtained in this manner are 

 separated by crystallization from alcohol or by 

 various other chemical methods, the description of 

 which we will not enter upon here. 



In order to facilitate the study of the leuco- 



* ARMAND GAUTIER: Lemons de chimie biologique. Published 

 by Masson; Ibid., Chimie de la cellule vivante. Also published 

 by Masson. 



