PTOMAINES 277 



salivation, rapid respiration, diarrhoea, and death, is pro- 

 duced in about twenty-four hours. 



Tetanin, C13H30N2O4.-— This has been obtained from 

 cultures of the tetanus bacillus, by Kitasato and others. 

 It was obtained by Brieger from an amputated arm of a 

 patient with tetanus. This base has been obtained by 

 crystallisation from alcohol, in the form of yellow plates. 

 "When injected into guinea-pigs or mice, tetanin first causes 

 the animal to fall into a lethargic condition, followed by in- 

 creased rapidity of respiration and tetanic convulsions. 



Cholera Ptomaines. — In addition to those that have been 

 already described as obtained from cholera cultures, Brieger 

 obtained two toxins which appear to be characteristic of 

 this organism. One induces cramps and muscular tremors 

 in all small animals, the other diarrhoea and symptoms of 

 collapse. 



Brieger's Method for the Separation of Ptomaines. — The 

 putrefying mass is boiled with water and filtered; the 

 filtrate is then treated with basic acetate of lead until no 

 further precipitate falls on further addition of the lead salt. 

 The liquid is then filtered, and the excess of lead removed 

 from the filtrate by passing sulphuretted hydrogen, and the 

 precipitated lead sulphide removed by filtration. The 

 filtrate is evaporated to one-third of its bulk and mixed 

 with fusel-oil (amylic alcohol) ; it is then thoroughly 

 washed with water, and again reduced in bulk by evapora- 

 tion ; a little sulphuric acid and ether are added ; the ether 

 is evaporated, after which the remaining liquid is con- 

 centrated by careful evaporation to one-third of its bulk. 

 The evaporation drives off most of the volatile fatty acid 

 present ; the liquid is then neutralised by the addition of 

 baryta, filtered, and the excess of baryta removed from the 

 filtrate by passing carbon dioxide ; the barium carbonate 

 v'hich is precipitated is filtered off. The filtrate, after being 



