274 CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINS. 



dogs (Udrinszky and Baumann). The synthetic putrescin accord- 

 ing to Pohl produces marked dyspnoea in rabbits ; larger doses (0.4 g.) 

 cause persistent tonic convulsions and paralyses of the extremities. 

 Cadaverin is one of those substances which can set up suppuration 

 in the absence of bacteria. In cholera Asiatica the necrosis of the 

 intestinal epithelium is quite common, and it would seem that this 

 pathological change, as well as the muscular spasms and algidity, 

 are due to the presence of these bases. It should be noted, however, 

 that Udrduszky and Baumann failed to obtain any sign of intestinal 

 irritation on feeding dogs enormous doses of cadaverin ; and, more- 

 over, Roos (page 271) failed to find these bases in the feces of chol- 

 era. Besides these local effects, they prevent, even in small quan- 

 tity, the coagulation of blood, and render it "laky." According to 

 Grawitz, cadaverin seems to hinder the growth of bacteria. The 

 cystitis observed in cystinuria may possibly be due to the presence 

 of cadaverin and putrescin in the urine. Both bases are optically 

 inactive. 



When cadaverin is treated with methyl iodid, a base is obtained 

 the hydrochlorid of which gives with platinum chlorid a double salt, 

 having the composition, C5Hjj(CH3)jj]Srj.2HCl.PtCl^. This new 

 base, therefore, is cadaverin in which two atoms of hydrogen have 

 been replaced by two methyl radicals. The platinochlorid of this 

 derivative forms long, clear red needles, which, unlike those of ca- 

 daverin, do not change their shape on repeated recrystallization. It 

 is moderately difficultly soluble in water (Brieger, II., 41). Since 

 cadaverin is a primary diamin it should combine with six molecules 

 of methyl iodid to form a saturated compound. This, however, has 

 not been obtained. 



The hydrochlorid, C5Hj^Nj.2HCl, crystallizes in beautiful, long 

 deliquescent needles (Brieger). According to Bocklisch it forms 

 long, colorless needles or prisms ; crystallizes from alcohol in plates, 

 and is not deliquescent except on long standing. From 95 per 

 cent, alcohol it crystallizes in short, pointed stellate prisms, which 

 are not deliquescent (Gulewitsch). On evaporation of an aqueous 

 solution it forms very long prismatic crystals. It shows no circum- 

 polarization. It possesses a slight bitter taste (Gulewitsch). It is 

 soluble in water, alcohol, alcohol-ether ; but is insoluble in absolute 

 alcohol, ether, etc. It can readily be separated from putrescin hy- 

 drochlorid by its solubility in 96 per cent, alcohol (Bocklisch). 

 The strictly pure base, as well as the hydrochlorid, does not give a 

 blue color with ferric chlorid and potassium ferricyanid. For reac- 

 tions of the hydrochlorid and of the free base, see Table I. 



Cadaverin hydrochlorid on dry distillation decomposes into NH,, 

 HCl, and piperidin, C^H^N. The latter is a well-known poisonous 

 alkaloid which exists in the combined state in black pepper. It is 

 not known whether this change, whereby the non-poisonous cadav- 



