CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINES. 191 



freely soluble in water and alcohol. Heated to 285° it 

 decomposes. "With alkalies it gives off the odor of the 

 free base. 



The P1.ATINOCHLORIDE, [(CH3)3N.HCl]2PtCl, (Pt = 

 36.92 per cent.), is soluble in hot water, from which, on 

 cooling, it recrystallizes in orange-red octahedra or needles, 

 which do not lose water when heated at 100°-110° (Bock- 

 lisch). 



The AuROCHLOEiDE, (CHjljN.HCl.AuClj (Au = 49.39 

 per cent.), is easily soluble, and hence can be separated from 

 choline aurochloride, which is difficultly soluble. Similarly, 

 this base can be separated from ammonia by the use of gold 

 chloride. 



Trimethylamine is not a strong poison, since very large 

 doses of it must be given in order to bring out any physio- 

 logical disturbances. 



Ethylamine, C2H5.NH2, is formed in putrefying yeast 

 (Hesse, 1857) ; in wheat flour (Sullivan, 1858) ; and also 

 in the distillation of beel^sugar residues. 



It is a strongly ammoniacal liquid boiling at 18.7°, and 

 is miscible with water in eveiy proportion. Like the other 

 amines, it is combustible. It possesses strong basic prop- 

 erties, and is capable of expelling ammonia from its salts in 

 a manner analogous to the action of the fixed alkalies. 



The Hydrochloride, C2H5.NHj.HCl, forms deliques- 

 cent plates, which melt at 76°-80°. It is readily soluble 

 in water and alcohol. 



The Platinochloride, (C2H5.NH2.HCl)2PtCl4, forms 

 orange-yellow rhombohedra (Weltzien), or hexagonal- 

 rhombohedral crystals (Topsoe). 



The Aurochloride, CjHj.NHj.HCl.AuClj, forms gold- 

 yellow monoclinic prisms, readily soluble in water. 



With picric acid it forms short brown prisms, not very 

 soluble in water. 



Diethylamine, C^HjjN := (C2Hj)2NH, has been ob- 

 tained by Bocklisch from pike which were allowed to 

 putrefy for six days in summer ; and by growing a bacillus 



