ALKALOIDAL TOXINS. 13 



C7H8N4O2, a toxic base fotind in certain patho- 

 logical urines; caffeine and theobromine, powerful 

 diuretic bases; and carnine, C7H8N4O3, from meat, 

 a muscular stimulant like caffeine. 



2. Creatinic Leucomaines. — These have for their 

 type guanidine; they differ from the xanthic bases 

 in that they are not precipitated by copper acetate, 

 but frequently are by ammoniacal silver nitrate. 

 They yield double salts with the chlorides of zinc 

 and cadmium. To this group belong glycocyanine , 

 C3H7N3O2, and glycocyanidine, C3H7N3O, both very 

 toxic; creatine, ■C4H9N3O2, only slightly toxic; 

 creatinine, C4H7N3O; lysatine, which very easily 

 decomposes to form urea ; lysatinine, xanthocreatine; 

 arginine, a vegetable base, etc. 



3. Neurinic Leucomaines. — These have none of 

 the characteristics of the preceding bases; their 

 type is neurine, a highly toxic base found in the 

 brain, nerves, and certain fish ova. These bases 

 are sometimes normally produced by the animal 

 economy, and are also frequently the result of 

 microbic action. They are the result of the simple 

 phenomena of fermentative hydrolyzation of pro- 

 tagons and lecithins. Among these bases are 

 choline, a weak alkaloid, and betaine, which appears 

 to be non-toxic. 



The former has the formula C5H15NO2; it was 

 discovered by Stocker. Wurtz synthesized it by 

 Qomlpining trimethylamiiae and glycol-monoghlor- 



