CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY 299 



PTOMAINES. 



Ptomaines (cadaveric or corpse alkaloids) may be defined 

 as organic bases produced during the decomposition of 

 animal substance, and the decomposition is chiefly due to 

 bacterial action. Besides the ptomaines of putrefaction, 

 definite animal bases are contained in normal and in patho- 

 logical urine. Normal dog's urine, for example, contains, 

 according to Kutscher, a poisonous base, cynosine. 



By no means are ptomaines all poisonous, and the 

 poisonous character depends on the duration and kind of 

 the bacterial fermentation. Poisonous bases are formed in 

 the earlier stages of decay. After advanced decay they 

 pass into simpler, or more stable and harmless, compounds. 

 Anaerobic decomposition is favourable to the production of 

 poisonous ptomaines, although the total quantity of bases 

 formed is smaller. Aerobic fermentation produces a larger 

 quantity of bases, but of less poisonous nature. 



The possible presence of ptomaines very naturally com- 

 plicates the task of alkaloid detection. Corpse - conine, 

 corpse-strychnine, corpse-delphinine, and other ptomaines 

 resembling the corresponding vegetable alkaloids, have 

 been obtained by various observers. In no case do these 

 bases entirely coincide in properties with the alkaloids. 

 Some one or more of the tests of the vegetable compounds 

 may not be given by the ptomaine, or it may differ in its 

 physiological action. Sometimes ptomaine is separated in 

 relatively large quantities. In an investigation of the 

 organs of a dog the writer in 1904 obtained considerable 

 quantities of an alkaloid very closely simulating morphine 

 in external properties, and in respect to those tests which 

 depend upon the reducing power of morphine. It did not, 

 however, give the characteristic Pellagri test. 



For these reasons it is generally possible to avoid con- 

 fusion between a ptomaine and an alkaloid, but it may 

 be necessary to this end that the separated alkaloid be 

 thoroughly purified. In practice the quantity of available 



