226 INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 



Ellinger J found that putrescin may be obtained from 

 the bacterial decomposition of ornithin. He found also 

 that cadaverin results from the decomposition of lysin. 

 Under the designation " ptomaines" Selmi 2 described a 

 number of basic substances resembling plant alkaloids 

 in their reactions and liable to be mistaken for morphine, 

 conine, etc. He obtained them from cadavers. That 

 such bodies are sometimes formed in the human digestive 

 tract appears likely, but has not been satisfactorily 

 established. In fact, the " ptomaines" are in most in- 

 stances not so clearly defined in their chemical characters 

 as could be desired. Moreover, their pharmacological 

 characters are also insufficiently definite. For these 

 reasons any discussion of these bodies in the present 

 connection would be purely academic. 



SULPHUR COMPOUNDS 



Mercaptan. The sulphur compounds resulting from 

 putrefactive decomposition in the intestine have re- 

 ceived little attention from the standpoint of their 

 pharmacological action. It is therefore difficult at 

 present to form a just estimate of their importance for 

 intestinal intoxications. It was claimed by Nencki 

 that methyl mercaptan is one of the gases formed in the 

 intestine during putrefaction. He based this contention 

 on a study of the faeces, but did not take the precaution 

 to examine the material promptly after collection. 



1 "Die Constitution des Ornithins und des Lysins," Zeitschr. f. 

 physiol. Chem., xxix, p. 334, 1900. 



2 "Sulle ptomaine ed alcaloidi cadaverici e lore imputanza in 

 toxicogia," Bericht. d. deutsch. chem. Gesellsch,, ii, p. 808, 1878. 



