186 BACTERIAL POISONS. 



same degree. Moreover, there is no proof that Tamba 

 worked with pure ptomaines. 



Tamba has also proposed to separate vegetable from 

 putrefactive alkaloids by adding to ethereal solutions of 

 mixtures an equal volume of a saturated ethereal solution 

 of oxalic acid, and allowing to stand, when the oxalates of 

 the vegetable alkaloids will separate in crystalline form, 

 and the oxalates of the ptomaines will remain in solution. 

 In other words, the oxalates of the vegetaljle alkaloids are 

 insoluble in ether, while the oxalates of the putrefactive 

 alkaloids are soluble in ether. But, in contradiction to this, 

 BocKLiSCH states that the oxalate of cadaverine is insoluble 

 in ether. 



The most important work wliich the toxicologist is called 

 upon to do at present is to isolate and identify beyond all 

 question the bacterial poisons. This work has become im- 

 portant on account of the frequent occurrence of poisoning 

 from articles of infected food. 



