522 POISONS : THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. [§§ 682-687. 
In Brieger’s process, if an aqueous solution of mercuric chloride is used as the 
precipitant, trimethylamine (if present) will be almost entirely in the filtrate, from 
which it can be obtained by getting rid of the mercury by SH 2 , filtering, evaporating 
to dryness, extracting with alcohol, and precipitating the alcoholic solution with 
platinic chloride. It forms crystalline salts with hydrochloric acid, platinum 
chloride, and gold chloride ; the platinum double salt yields 37 per cent, of platinum, 
the gold salt 49-4 per cent. gold. The gold salt is easily soluble, and this property 
permits its separation from choline, which forms a compound with gold chloride 
soluble with difficulty. The picrate, m.p. 216°, is soluble in 77 parts cold water ; 
the picrolonate, m.p. 250°-252°, in 1121 parts cold water. 
§ 682. Ethylamine, C a H 5 NH 2 .—Ethylamine is in the free state an ammoniacal 
liquid boiling at 18-7°. It is a strong base, miscible with water in every proportion. 
It has been found in putrefying yeast, in wheat flour, and in the distillation of beet 
sugar residues. It is not poisonous ; the hydrochloride forms deliquescent plates 
melting at 76°-80° ; the platinoehloride contains 39T per cent, of platinum, and 
the gold salt 51-35 per cent, of gold—in other words, the same percentages as the 
corresponding salts of dimethylamine, with which, however, it cannot be confused. 
§ 683. Diethylamine, (C 2 H 5 ) 2 NH, is an inflammable liquid boiling at 57-5° ; it 
forms salts with hydrochloric acid, platinum and gold, etc. ; the gold salt contains 
47-71 per cent, of gold, and its melting-point is about 165°. 
§ 684. Triethylamine, (C 2 H 5 ) 3 N, is an oily base but slightly soluble in water, and 
boiling at 89°-89-5°. It gives no precipitate with mercuric chloride in aqueous 
solution ; it forms a platinoehloride containing 31-8 per cent, of platinum. It has 
been found in putrid fish. 
§ 685. Propyla min e.—There are two propylamines : one, normal propylamine, 
CH 3 CH 2 .CH 2 .NH 2 , boiling at 47°-48°; and iso-propylamine, (CH 3 ) 2 CH.NH 2 , boiling 
at 31-5°; both are ammoniacal fish-like smelling liquids. The hydrochloride 
of normal propylamine melts at 155°-158°, and iso-propylamine chloride melts 
at 139-5°. 
It has been found in cultures of human faeces on gelatin. None of the above - 
amines are sufficiently active in properties to be poisonous in the small quantities 
likely to be produced in decomposing foods. 
§ 686. Iso-amylamine, (CH 3 ) 2 CH.CH 2 .CH 2 .NH.,, is a colourless alkaline liquid 
possessing a peculiar odour. It boils at 97°-98°. It forms a deliquescent hydro¬ 
chloride. The platinoehloride crystallises in golden yellow plates. 
Iso-amylamine occurs in the putrefaction of yeast, and is a normal constituent of 
cod-liver oil. It is intensely poisonous, producing convulsions. 
DIAMINES. 
§ 687. Rate of Formation of Diamines. —Diamines are formed in 
putrefactive processes generally where there is abundance of nitrogen. 
Garcia 1 has attempted to trace the rates at which they are formed by 
allowing meat extracts to decompose, precipitating by benzoyl chloride 
(see p. 517) the dibenzoyl compound, and weighing ; the following were 
Weight of Benzoyl 
Compound. 
. 0-56 grm. 
. 0-75 „ 
. 0-82 „ 
. 0-73 „ 
. 0-57 „ 
. 0-58 „ 
the results obtained 
Time. 
24 hours 
2 days 
3 „ 
4 „ 
5 „ 
6 „ 
1 Zeit. f. physiol. Chem., xvii. 6, 571. 
