256 BACTERIAL POISON'S. 



the hydrochloride possesses a disagreeable odor which dis- 

 appears on exposure to air, and the substance ceases to pos- 

 sess poisonous properties. Brieger has proposed the 

 application of this test for the recognition of poisonous 

 mussel ; on treatment of these with alkali the characteristic 

 odor is developed. Mytilotoxine is also destroyed on dis- 

 tillation with potassium hydrate and in the distillate there 

 is found an aromatic non-poisonous product and trimethyl- 

 araine. The free base, therefore, does not exist by itself 

 for any length of time, but soon becomes converted into an 

 inert substance. H. Salkowski has also shown that it is 

 destroyed on boiling with potassium carbonate, whereas 

 its hydrochloric acid solution can be evaporated to dry- 

 ness and heated to 110° without destroyiug its poisonous 

 property. 



The Hydrochloride, CjHijNOj.HCl, prepared from 

 the aurochloride, crystallizes in tetrahedra. It is extremely 

 poisonous and according to Brieger produces exactly the 

 same symptoms which have been observed by Schmidt- 

 MANN in persons who have partaken of poisonous mussels 

 (see page 38). On standing, however, the pure hydro- 

 chloride gradually becomes dark and decomposes with loss 

 of its poisonous property — a change corresponding to that 

 which tetanine undergoes (p. 267). The gold salt is better 

 adapted for preservation. The ordinary alkaloidal reagents 

 produce in its solutions, if at all, only oily precipitates. 



As stated under mydatoxine, the formula of the hydro- 

 chloride, CgHjjNOj.HCl, is applicable to either one of two 

 bases, CgHigNOj.OH or CgH^jNOj. The base correspond- 

 ing to the first formula is evidently a homologue of mus- 

 carine, and should possess a similar physiological action. 

 As a matter of fact, mytilotoxine does resemble muscarine 

 somewhat in its action, and its occurrence together with 

 betaine would seem to make it a decomposition-product of 

 lecithin, in which case this base must be looked upon as a 

 member of the choline group. It is iuteresting to know 

 thata compound corresponding to the formula Ci-HjgNOj.OH 

 has been known for some time, and was prepared by Han- 

 riot in a manner analogous to Wuetz's synthesis of 



