PABVOLIN ISOMER. 259 



jected under the skin of a bird, marked unsteadiness of gait, followed 

 by paralysis of the extremities, and finally death. The pupils are 

 normal and the heart stops in diastole. Larger doses (0.007 gram) 

 cause at first vomiting and staggering, which soon give way to a 

 condition of exaltation. Toward the end tetanic convulsions set in, 

 followed by almost complete paralysis. 



A Base, CgHjjN, isomeric with parvolin, has been extracted by 

 Gautier and Etard (1881) from decomposing mackerel and horse- 

 flesh. The method employed by these chemists for its isolation is 

 given on page 233. The identity of this base with the synthetic 

 parvolin, obtained by Waage by heating ammonia with propionic 

 aldehyd in a sealed tube at 200°, cannot be considered to be defi- 

 nitely settled, although an apparent identity exists in regard to their 

 boiling points. Thus, the synthetic parvolin boils at 193°-196°, 

 while Gautier and Etard assign to their base a boiling-point a little 

 below 200°. Further investigation is necessary to decide upon the 

 question of the identity of this base with parvolin, or of the ptomain 

 CjHjjN with hydrocollidin. 



The free base is an oily, amber-colored liquid, possessing the odor 

 of hawthorn blossoms. It is slightly soluble in water ; very soluble 

 in alcohol, in ether, and in chloroform. Its boiling-point, as stated 

 above, is a trifle below 200°. Like the bases C^HjjN and C,„H,jN 

 it becomes brown and soon resinifies on exposure to air. 



The platinochlorid, (CgHi3N.HCl)2PtCl, (Pt = 28.65 per cent.), 

 is slightly soluble, crystalline, and flesh colored ; exposed to the air 

 it soon becomes pink. 



The aurochlorid is quite soluble. 



A Base, Cj^Hj^N, was isolated by Guareschi and Mosso (1883) 

 from ox-blood fibrin which had been allowed to putrefy for five 

 months. In 1887 it was re-obtained from putrid fibrin by Guares- 

 chi, who this time ascribed to it the formula Cj^Hj^N. In 1886 

 Oechsner de Coninck found it among the basic products formed in 

 the putrefaction of the jelly-fish (poulpes marins, Hugounenq^ page 

 21). The method used for its extraction was that of Gautier and 

 Etard (see page 233). It forms a brownish oil of strong alkaline 

 reaction, which soon resinifies. It possesses an unpleasant, weak 

 pyridin or coniin odor, and is but slightly soluble in water ; soluble 

 in ether and in chloroform. 



In regard to the constitution of this ptomain we know nothing, 

 but from its physical characters it would seem to possess a pyridin 

 nucleus. It is isomeric with corindin, a homologue of parvolin and 

 coUidin, obtained from coal-tar. 



For the behavior of the hydrochlorid to alkaloidal reagents, see 

 Table T. 



