234 THE PHENOMENA OF PUTREFACTION 



of so-called fish-poisoning, i.e. illness produced by eating fish, also belong to this 

 category. On the other hand, these ill effects ni.-iv also be brought about by 

 ptomaines produced during the storage of this (readily decomposable) food-stuff, a 

 remark which applies equally to the so-called sausage poisoning. Hi-searches on 

 this point have been conducted by H. MAAS (I.). The poisonous decomposition 

 products developed by the activity of fission fungi in eggs, and also cased of 

 poisoning ensuing from the consumption of eggs so spoiled, have been investigated 

 by GLASMACHER (I.), BONIIOFF (II.), and GRIGORIEW (I.). 



172. The Albuminous Poisons. 



To attribute the poisonous effects of bacteria, in all cases, to the formation 

 of products of the ptomaine group would be incorrect. As a matter of fact, 

 the injury is frequently caused, not by these alkaloids at all, but by certain true 

 albuminoids, which, on account of their decomposing power, have been named 

 active albumen. We have to thank CHRISTMAS and HANKIN (I.) for the first 

 proof of this fact, though Pfliiger was cognisant of it as long ago as 1875. We 

 have already stated in 82 that certain pathogenic fission fungi will develop on 

 nutrient media destitute of albumen and there elaborate poisons synthetically. 



The fundamental differences between active albuminoids arid ptomaines are 

 not confined to their production and composition, but extend also to their mode 

 of action : the former behaving like enzymes, and acting as a result of the 

 lability of their atoms, so that a small quantity of the active substance is able to 

 induce decomposition in a comparatively enormous mass of decomposable mate- 

 rial. On the other hand, the poisonous effects of the ptomaines depends on the 

 quantity coming into play, and increases therewith. As in the case of the 

 enzymes, the active albumen is completely deprived of its powers by moist heat 

 (100 C.), by which it is converted into non-poisonous passive albumen ; win : 

 the ptomaines remain undecomposed and undebilitated by the same treatment. 

 This fact is also of importance to the food-stuff chemist, since it will restrain him 

 from certifying a sample of suspected meat to be innocuous merely because a 

 negative result has been obtained with the current alkaloid reactions. 



Many cases of meat poisoning are probably due to the presence and action 

 of active albumen. A fuller insight into this matter must first, however, be 

 gained by investigation. Thus we find it recorded by M. ARUSTAMOFF (I.) that 

 in the Lower Volga district the opinion prevails that only the consumption of 

 uncooked fish (salted sturgeon and salmon) is harmful. In view of the remarks 

 already made on the influence of heat on active albumen this observation becomes 

 intelligible. The danger resulting from the presence of living bacteria in in- 

 completely sterilised milk, and their developing in the intestines of the nursing 

 infant (see 125), is probably in many cases due to active albumen formed by 

 the organisms. The author puts this interpretation on the results of the 

 experiments made by A. LtrBBEiiT (I.) on this point. 



AJ \\-a> lirst established by MITCHELL and HEICHERT (I.) in 1886, it is to the 

 presence of such active albumen that the effects of snake-poison are due. More- 

 over, albuminous poisons are found in the normal blood of different animals, a 

 circumstance first established by A. Mosso (I.) in the case of Mum ni<l<i\ to which 

 family the common eel belongs. A list of fishes naturally containing poison has 

 been drawn up by J. PoHL (I.) Poisonous albuminoids are likewise found in 

 various plants, e.y. abrin in the seeds of the paternoster pea (seeds of the wild 

 liquorice, Abrus precatorius), ricin in the seeds of JUt-inux c<nmnnni*. and many 

 others. 



The reaction between the animal body and bacteria is reciprocal. .In 

 the latter are able to excrete noxious metabolic products, the effect of which on 



