Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
April,  1882.  j 
The  Ptomaines. 
155 
with  nitric  acid,  but  this  did  not  succeed,  as  an  ochre-yellow  residue 
remained,  which  also  resisted  the  action  of  aqua  regia.  A  better 
result  was  obtained  by  treatment  with  sulphuric  acid  and  saltpetre.. 
The  dry  substance  dissolved  in  hydrochloric  acid  gave  neither  a  yellow 
coloration  nor  a  precipitate  with  hydrogen  sulphide,  even  after  18 
hours,  which,  as  several  milligrams  were  employed  for  oxidation^ 
would  demonstrate  the  absence  of  arsenic.  As  the  difficulty  of  destruc- 
tion of  this  base  showed  an  analogy  to  tliose  substances  containing 
phosphoric  acid,  the  residue  obtained  by  the  evaporation  of  the  hydro- 
chloric acid  solution  was  dissolved  in  nitric  acid,  and  the  molybdic 
acid  reagent  added  ;  but  neither  a  yellow  coloration  nor  precipitation 
ensued,  so  that  the  presence  of  phosphorus  cannot  come  in  question. 
While  in  these  ptomaines  the  presence  of  arsenic  could  not  be  defi- 
nitely proven,  Selmi  succeeded  later  in  discovering  organic  bases  con- 
taining arsenic  in  the  stomach  of  a  hog,  which  had  been  })reserved  in 
a  solution  of  arsenious  acid  in  a  closed  vessel  in  a  cool  room.  On 
opening  the  vessel  no  corrupt  odor  was  perceptible,  and  also  no  incli- 
nation to  the  destruction  of  the  tissue.  The  liquid,  which  had  a 
slightly  alkaline  reaction,  yielded  on  distillation  in  a  current  of  hydro- 
gen a  clear  alkaline  distillate,  in  which  isolated  white  and  fatty  flakes 
were  found  floating.  After  careful  saturation  of  the  filtrate  with 
hydrochloric  acid  and  evaporation  in  a  bath  of  salt  water,  a  white,, 
non-deliquescent  hydrochlorate  remained  in  cross-shaped  crystals,, 
which  on  exposure  to  the  air  remained  dry,  and  when  moistened  witli 
a  drop  of  solution  of  caustic  soda  develo[)ed  a  })ecu]iar  odor,  which 
resembled  to  a  certain  extent  that  of  trimethylamine,  although  the 
base  could  be  neither  confused  with  the  latter,  with  other  methyl- 
amines,  nor  with  propylamine.  The  hydrochlorate  of  this  volatile 
base  was  definitely  recognized  as  containing  arsenic,  as  Selmi  found  by 
destroying  it,  then  oxidizing  with  nitric  acid,  taking  up  the  residue 
with  sulphuric  acid,  reducing  the  arsenic  acid  by  means  of  sulphurous 
acid  to  arsenious  acid,  and  finally  testing  in  Marsh's  apparatus.  This 
body  gave  with  tami'iG  acid  no  preci])itate ;  iodine  in  hijdr iodic- 
acid  a  precipitate  of  beautiful  crystals  of  a  gray  color  .and  the  appear- 
ance of  iodine  ;  with  picric  acid  a  yellow  precipitate,  which  changed 
to  long,  yellow  felt-like  needles.  Au7'iG  sulphate  gave  no  precipitate, 
but  a  very  small  amount  of  a  powder  consisting  of  very  small  and  trans- 
parent microscopic  crystals  was  de[)osited.  Also  potassio-bismuthic 
iodide  and  phospko-wolframate  of  sodium  gave  at  first  no  ])recipitate. 
