14 TOXINS AND ANTITOXINS. 



hydrine, and treating the resulting hydrochloride 

 with silver oxide. Betaine, CsHnNC^, is found in 

 beets; it was discovered by Scheibler. Neurine is, 

 chemically, trimethylvinylammonium hydrate. 



4. Undetermined Leucomaines. Among these 

 bases several are important in more than one 

 respect. For instance spermine, which is found in 

 the sperm, is a strong base possessing a powerfully 

 dynamic and tonic action on the nerves. It acts 

 as an oxidizer. Spermine was first obtained by 

 Schreiner * from the sperm of mammifers in which 

 it occurs as a phosphate. It has the formula 

 CsHi4N 2 . It was physiologically studied by Poehl, 

 Tarchanoff, WeljaminofT, and Joffroy.| Plasmaine, 

 a toxic base found in the blood and discovered 

 by R. Wurtz,J has the formula C 5 Hi 5 N 5 ; prota- 

 mine, from fish milt, was discovered by Micocher. 



* Liebig's Ann. der Chemie, cxciv, p. 68. 

 t Journ. Soc. Phys. Chim. Russe, 1893, No. 2; and Bull. Soc. 

 Chim. (3), xii, p. 243. 



J Leucomaines du Sang Normal, These, Paris, 1889. 



Jok reab. de Tkierchen, 1874, p. 341 ; Picard, Ibid., p. 355. 



