ALKALOIDAL TOXINS. 



Bases of Group II. 



a. Ptomaines Isolated from Cultures of Patho- 

 genic Bacteria. — Bacterial cultures contain, besides 

 the true toxins, a certain number of alkaloidal 

 bases which sometimes possess considerable toxicity. 



In the cultures of streptococcus pyogenes there 

 are foimd trimethylamine and xanthic bases; in 

 those of staphylococcus pyogenes aureus are found 

 xanthic bases and creatinine; while pyocyanine 

 and pyoxanthine are found in the cultures of 

 bacillus pyocyaneus, etc. 



b. Ptomaines Isolated from Pathological Urines. — 

 Toxic ptomaine bases have been fotmd in the urines 

 of a large number of diseases.* It is quite prob- 

 able that these bases are the results of a general 

 pathological condition due to some bacterial disease, 

 the toxic products of which are eliminated by the 

 kidneys. 



From the urines of epileptics Grififiths f isolated 

 a colorless base crystallizing in prisms having the 

 formula C12H15N5O7, and which was found to be 

 exceedingly toxic; the same investigator isolated 

 from the urines of eczematous subjects a ptomaine 



* Griffiths: C. rend, de V AcadSmie des Sciences, cxv, pp. 285 

 and 667. 



t E. Pouchet: Contribution h. I'^tude des matiferes ex- 

 tractives de I'urine, Thkse, Paris, 1880; Ibid., C. rend, de I'Aca- 

 dimiedesSCfXcyiiip. 1560; Bouchard: C .rend. Soc. de Biolog., 

 Aug. 12, 1882. 



