320 CHEMISTRY OF THE PTOMAINS. 



shown on distillation with lime. An oily alkaline base is thus 

 obtained which forms an iodomethylate, and this with potassium 

 hydrate yields quite an intense red color, resembling lees (de 

 Coninck's reaction). On oxidation with permanganate of potassium 

 it yields a monobasic acid. According to Gautier and Mourgues, 

 the compound is probably identical with de Jungh's gaduin, and they 

 ascribe to it the following constitution which, it should be said, 

 lacks confirmation. 



H 

 G 



HC5 COH 



H,C C— CjHe-COjH. 



N 

 H 



A Base, C^^^f>^, was obtained by Pouchet (1884) from the 

 residual liquors resulting from an industrial treatment of debris of 

 bones, flesh, and waste of all kinds, with dilute sulphuric acid. It 

 is accompanied by another base, CjHjgNjOg, from which it can be 

 separated by treatment with alcohol. The base itself «forms tufts 

 of delicate needles which alter or decompose less easily than the 

 accompanying base. The platinochlorid, (C5Hj2N20^.HCl)2PtCl^, 

 forms a dull yellow powder somewhat soluble in strong alcohol, but 

 insoluble in ether. The platinochlorid, (CyHjgN205.HCl)2PtCl^, is 

 insoluble in ether. 



The hydrochlorids of these bases form silky needles, which are 

 altered by excess of hydrochloric acid and by exposure to air. 

 Pouchet considers them to be closely allied to the oxybetains. The 

 general alkaloidal reagents precipitate these bases ; the phospho- 

 molybdic precipitate, on addition of ammonia, gives a blue tint. 

 Both bases are toxic and exert a paralyzing action upon the reflex 

 movements. 



The method employed by Pouchet for their isolation was to pre- 

 cipitate them as tannates. The precipitate was decomposed by lead 

 hydrate in the presence of strong alcohol, the excess of lead removed 

 from the solution by hydrogen sulphid, and the clear liquid thus ob- 

 tained was submitted to dialysis. The above bases occurred in the 

 dialysate. In the non-dialyzable portion volatile bases were found 

 probably identical with those described by Gautier and Etard. 



Tetanin, C^J^p^, was obtained in 1886 by Brieger (III., 94) 

 by cultivating impure tetanus microbes of Rosenbach, in an atmos- 

 phere of hydrogen on beef-broth for eight days at 37°-38°. It like- 

 wise occurs in cultures on brain-broth. Later (April, 1888), Brieger 

 succeeded in obtaining tetanin from the amputated arm of a tetanus 



