CHEMlSTBY OF THE PTOMAINES. 203 



with initial decomposition. In water it is but slightly 

 soluble, readily so in ether, alcohol, acetone, and ligroin. 

 It is rapidly oxidized by the air, becomes brown, and 

 resinifies but does not absorb carbonic acid. 



The Hydrochloride, CiqHjjN.HCI, forms fine yel- 

 lowish, very deliquescent needles, which in the presence of 

 a trace of air are at once colored red ; if more air is present 

 the red changes to a brown, and in the open air a resin is 

 formed the same as from the free base. It is very easily 

 soluble. 



The Hydrobromide, CijHjjN.HBr, crystallizes in a 

 network of fine deliquescent needles, whicli become likewise 

 red on exposure to air. It is very soluble in water ; less 

 so in strong alcohol, and almost insoluble in ether. 



The Platinochloride, (Ci„Hi5N.HCl)2PtCl^, forms a 

 dark -red powder, which is insoluble in cold water ; very 

 soluble in warm water. It can be kept in dry air ; in moist 

 air it loses hydrochloric acid and becomes partially oxidized. 

 Boiling water decomposes it. (CijHi5N.Cl)2PtC]2 forms 

 clear-brown plates, which are stable in moist air, and melt 

 at 206°. It is insoluble in cold water, soluble in boiling 

 water, but decomposes. In recrystallizing, warm previously 

 boiled water should be used. 



The AuROCHLORiDE, CioHijN.HCl.AuClj, occurs as a 

 light-yellow precipitate ; insoluble in cold water, soluble in 

 warm water. It is decomposed by boiling water ; is stable 

 when kept in a moist atmosphere. 



The loDOMETHYLATE, CijHijlSr.CHjI, in warm alcoholic 

 solution yields, on the addition of strong potash, a bright- 

 red color, which soon becomes brown, and in about an 

 hour the solution shows a greenish-blue fluorescence. This 

 rapidity of change is due to the extreme oxidizability of the 

 ptomaine. 



O. DE CoNiNCK considers this base, as well as CgHuN, 

 as belonging to the pyridine and not to the hydropyridine 

 series. 



A Base, Ci„H,7N, was described by Griffiths (1890) 

 as derived from cultures on peptone-agar of the bacterium 



