CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINES. 267 



be recrystallized and obtained in a perfectly pure condi- 

 tion. If boiled with boneblack it decomposes, yielding a 

 non-poisonous crystalline compound. 



Phosphomolybdic acid cannot be used in the separation 

 of tetaniue, inasmuch as it destroys the poison (Beieger). 

 BocKLiscH has also observed that it destroys the poison 

 formed in the putrefaction of fish. 



Tetanine obtained by treating ,the hydrochloride with 

 freshly precipitated moist silver oxide forms a strongly 

 alkaline yellow syrup. With alkaloidal reagents it fi'ives 

 the same reactions as the hydrochloride, except that it does 

 not give a blue color with ferric chloride and potassium 

 ferricyanide. It is easily decomposed in acid solution, but 

 is permanent in alkaline solution. 



The HYDROCHLORIDE, C,3H3dN2C)^.2HC1, is deliques- 

 cent and is easily soluble in absolute alcohol. Beside with 

 platinum it combines only with phosphomolybdic acid to 

 form an easily soluble crystalline precipitate, which on the 

 addition of ammonium hydrate becomes white. If, how- 

 ever, the hydrochloride is impure, phosphomolybdic acid 

 produces a precipitate whicii is colored an intense blue by 

 ammonia. Potassium-bismuth iodide yields a precipitate 

 which is at first amorphous, but soon becomes crystalline. 

 Ferric chloride and potassium ferricyanide produce a slowly 

 developing blue color which probably is due to impurities. 



When kept for some months the highly poisonous hydro- 

 chloride becomes syrupy, brownish, and wholly inert. 

 Examined at this stage, the syrup was found, by means of 

 platinum chloride, to contain a substance the hydrpchlo- 

 ride of which crystallized in plates. This is readily soluble 

 in water and alcohol, and melts at 197°, with total decom- 

 position, the same as tetanine. It combines only with phos- 

 phomolybdic acid to form an easily soluble compound. The 

 platinum salt has the composition C5lIi3N02.2HCl.PtCl4. 

 This substance is non-poisonous and probably an amido- 

 acid. It is different, however, from leucin and Nencki's 

 isomers of leucin, although possessing the same composi- 

 tion. It is also isomeric with mydatoxine, CjHjjNOj, but 

 this is highly poisonous to mice, while the former is inert 



