188 BACTERIAL POISONS. 



present in cultures of comma bacillus on beef-broth which 

 were kept for six weeks at 37°-38°. Eheenberg re- 

 ported its possible presence in poisonous sausage, and ob- 

 tained it by growing a bacillus from this source on intes- 

 tines (1887). In Beiegee's method, methylamine is found 

 both in the mercuric chloride precipitate and filtrate. The 

 mercury double salt is readily soluble in water, and can 

 thus be separated from any accompanying cadaverine or 

 putrescine. Methylamine is an inflammable gas of strong 

 ammoniacal odor, and burning with a yellow flame. It is 

 readily soluble in water, and its solutions give reactions 

 similar to those of ammonia. Its salts are, as a rule, also 

 soluble in both water and alcohol. 



The Hydeochloeide, CHjNHj.HCl, crystallizes in 

 large deliquescent plates. On being heated with alkali, it 

 gives off^ the odor of methylamine. 



The Platinochloeide, (CHj.NH^.HClXPtCl, (Pt = 

 41.31 per cent.),^ yields hexagonal plates which usually 

 occur heaped up in several layers. It is soluble in about 

 fifty parts of water at ordinary temperature, and can be 

 readily recrystallized from hot water. It is insoluble in 

 absolute alcohol and in ether. 



The AUEOCHLOEIDE, CH3.NH2.HCI.AUCI3 -f- Hfi, 



forms prisms, which are readily soluble in water. There 

 is also a readily soluble picrate. 



Methylamine does not possess any toxic action, even when 

 given in fairly large doses. This physiological indifference 

 is shared by nearly all the monamines and diamines that 

 have been obtained amoug the products of putrefaction. 



DiMETHYLAMiNE, (CH3)2.NH, has been found in putre- 

 fying gelatin, ten days at 35° (Beieger, 1885) ; in yeast 

 decomposing in covered vessels for four weeks during sum- 

 mer (Beieger) ; in decomposing perch, six days in summer 

 (Bocklisch); and in herring-brine (Bocklisch, 1886). It 

 has been found in poisonous sausage, and in cultures of a 



' The percentages given in the following pages are calculated from Au= 

 X96.64 (KruBs), Pt = 194.46 (Seubert), 01 = 35.37, = 15. 96. 



