212 BAOTEEIAL POISONS. 



needles ; from hot aqueous alcohol, on cooling, in yellow- 

 plates. It begins to brown at 230°, and on further heating 

 becomes darker, till finally, at 250°, it decomposes with 

 rapid evolution of gas (Bocklisch). 



The Carbonate is crystalline. 



The Mercury double salt is easily soluble in a large 

 quantity of water, and can thus be, separated from the 

 cadaverine salt, which is difficultly soluble. From hot con- 

 centrated aqueous solution it crystallizes in needles. 



The DiBENZOYL - PUTRESCINB, CjH8(NHCOC5H5)2, 



forms silky plates or long needles, which are more diffi- 

 cultly solul)le in hot alcohol than those of the cadaverine 

 compound. From this solution it is repreciphated by ad- 

 dition of water or ether. Its melting-point is 175°. It 

 sublimes without decomposition. 



Cadaverine, C5Hj4N2, is a diamine isomeric with sap- 

 rine and neuridine, and, like the latter, it occurs very fre- 

 quently in decomposing animal tissues. Twelve isomers of 

 tliis composition are possible. Another isomer, gerontine (see 

 next chapter) has been described by Grandis (1890). It is 

 a \'ery striking fact, that in ordinary putrefaction as choline 

 disappears the diamines appear and increase in quantity 

 according as the time of putrefaction is extended. It is 

 also worthy of note that cadaverine appears in putrefaction 

 before putrescine. It has been obtained by Briegee (1885) 

 from human lungs, hearts, livers, ete. (hence the name), 

 which were allowed to putrefy at the ordinary temperature 

 for three days ; from the same organs, and from horseflesh, 

 after four months in a closed vessel at — 9° to -J- 5° ; 

 from putrid mussel after sixteen days ; from putrid egg and 

 blood albumin. It seems to be a constant product of the 

 gi'owth of the comma bacillus, irrespective of the soil on 

 which it is cultivated. 



Bocklisch has isolated it from perch and pike, six days 

 in midsummer ; from herring, twelve days in spring ; from 

 haddock, two months at a low temperature ; from cultiva- 

 tions of FiNKLER and Prior's vibrio proteus on beef- 

 broth, thirty to thirty-five days at 37° to 38° {Ber. 20 



