278 CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINS. 



methylamin, thus probably showing some relation to neurin, hence 

 the name neuridin. It does not give Hofmann's isonitril reaction, 

 but it does not follow from this, as shown under cadaverin, that it 

 may not be a primary diamin. It is isomeric with cadaverin, 

 saprin, and gerontin. 



The hydrochlorid, CjHj^Nj.2HCl, crystallizes in long needles 

 which are extremely soluble in water and in dilute alcohol, but 

 are insoluble in absolute alcohol, ether, chloroform, petroleum 

 ether, benzene, amyl alcohol, etc. Its insolubility in absolute alco- 

 hol may be used to effect a separation from cholin hydrochlorid. 

 It can be recrystallized from slightly warm dilute alcohol. Al- 

 though the pure salt is insoluble in the reagents just given, never- 

 theless, in the presence of other animal matter, it is dissolved in 

 greater or less quantity, and hence can be obtained by the Stas-Otto 

 as well as by the Dragendorff method. The crystals resemble urea 

 in form. On heating very cautiously the salt sublimes, and at the 

 same time appears to undergo a partial internal decomposition, inas- 

 much as many of the groups of needles in the sublimate are colored 

 red or blue. For the behavior of the hydrochlorid with the alkaloidal 

 reagents, see Table I. 



Pure neuridin is not poisonous, but as long as it is contaminated 

 with other putrefaction products it possesses a toxic action similar to 

 that of peptotoxin. This holds true for the other non-poisonous 



The platinochlorid, C5H,^N2.2HCl.PtCl^, crystallizes in beautiful 

 flat needles. Recrystallized from hot water, it forms aggregations 

 of small, clear, yellow needles. It is readily soluble in water, from 

 which it is precipitated on the addition of alcohol. 



The aurochlorid, C5H,^]Sr2.2HC1.2AuCl3, is rather difficultly sol- 

 uble in cold water (Bocklisch), and crystallizes on cooling of the hot, 

 saturated solution in bunches of clear, yellow, short needles. 



The picrate, C5Hj^N2.2C5H2(NOjj)30H, can be recrystallized from 

 boiling water, in which it is very difficultly soluble, in the form ot 

 needles united in plumose groups. It is almost insoluble in cold 

 water ; less difficultly soluble in alcohol. It is not fusible, but be- 

 gins to brown and give off yellow vapors at 230°, and carbonizes 

 completely at 250°. 



Saprin, C^Hj^Nj, was found in human livers and spleens after 

 three weeks putrefaction (Brieger, II., 30, 46, 58). It occurs to- 

 gether with cadaverin, putrescin, and mydalein in the mercuric 

 chlorid precipitate. To separate these bases Brieger (1885) used the 

 following process : The mercury salts were decomposed with hydro- 

 gen sulphid, the filtrate evaporated to dryness, and the residue then 

 extracted with alcohol. The putrescin hydrochlorid is insoluble in 

 alcohol, and is thus removed. The alcoholic solution was treated 



