294 CHEMISTRT OF THE PTOMAINS. 



(agaricin), to which they assign, however, the formula (CHj),N. 

 (CHOH.CH,)OH. 



Cholin was first prepared and so named by Strecker, 1862, by 

 treating hog-bile with hydrochloric acid. It was prepared synthet- 

 ically by Wurtz (1868) by direct union of ethylene chlorhydrin and 

 trimethylamin. The reaction that takes place can be represented 

 by the equation : 



CH 1 CHj ) 



^^•{°a + ch! N= ^; Ua. 



^^*J C,H4.0H J 



Baeyer (1866) obtained it by boiling an alcoholic extract of the 

 brain with baryta water; and Liebreich, in 1869, showed that if 

 the alcoholic extract from which all the protagon had been re- 

 moved be thus treated only cholin is formed, whereas pure prota- 

 gon on heating with baryta yields neurin (not confirmed by Gule- 

 witsch). It has been obtained from the yolk of eggs ; from bile ; 

 from fresh brains (Brieger) ; from fresh eggs, blood, lungs, and 

 hearts, and from lecithin (Marino-Zuco) ; from human placenta 

 (Bohm) ; from the eye ; from commercial neurin (Brieger) ; neurin 

 was found in a specimen of commercial cholin (Schmidt) ; in com- 

 mercial muscarin sulphate (Nothnagel) ; from fresh as well as de- 

 composing internal organs of the cadaver (Brieger, 1885); in fresh 

 blood (neurin of Marino-Zuco and Martini) ; from herring-brine 

 and decomposing pike, three days in midsummer (Bocklisch). It 

 has also been isolated from cultures of vibrio proteus (Bocklisch, 

 Carbone) and of comma bacillus (Brieger). Ehrenberg (1887) 

 found it in poisonous sausages, and by growing a bacillus obtained 

 from this on liver. Gulewitsch has isolated cholin from horseflesh, 

 putrefying at 15° for four months, together with cadaverin and 

 probably muscarin. It has been found in the intestines of dogs 

 together with neurin and another ptomaan (p. 260) (Nesbitt) ; and 

 in fermented fish together with various amines (Morner). 



According to Halliburton (1901) cholin can be extracted from 

 fresh brains by means of physiological salt solution. The fact that 

 this base readily forms in the disintegration of nerve tissue has led 

 to the belief that it may be a most important factor in auto-intoxi- 

 cations. Halliburton has found cholin in traces in the cerebro-spinal 

 fluid and in the blood in nerve degenerations and during the convul- 

 sive seizures in general paralysis of the insane, and hence he regards 

 this condition as probably due to cholin poisoning although other 

 products may be also present. In regard to the possible conversion 

 of cholin into neurin and the presence of the latter in auto-intoxi- 

 cations, see pages 291 and 299. See also Florence's crystals. 



Not only has cholin been met with in the animal tissues, but it 

 has also been observed within the last few years to be very widely 



