222  Analytical  Bcsearches  and  Investigations,  {^"^ay'^iss?™" 
behavior  of  the  plant  alkaloids  towards  i)otassiuin  ferricyanide,  as  tlie 
reducing  action  of  the  ptomaines  has  been  emphasized  by  all  investiga- 
tors as  a  characteristic  property,  and  therefore  does  not  require  a 
repeated  confirmation  by  experiments. 
The  experiments  were  so  conducted  that  for  each  a  centigram  of  the 
alkaloid  was  dissolved  in  five  cubic  centimenters  of  water  with  the  acid 
of  diute  sulphuric  acid,  then  two  drops  of  a  ten  per  cent,  solution  of 
potassium  ferricyanide  added,  and  subsequently  one  drop  of  a  very 
dilute  neutral  ferric  chloride  solution. 
Morphine  and  colchicine  reduced  the  potassium  ferricyanide  very 
strongly ;  the  mixture,  upon  the  addition  of  ferric  chloride,  became 
immediately  dark-blue.  A  less  strong,  but  still  plainly  perceptible 
reduction,  recognizable  by  the  formation  of  a  greenish-blue  liquid  after 
the  addition  of  ferric  chloride,  and  from  which  immediately,  or  after  a 
short  time  flocks  of  Prussian-blue  were  precipitated,  was  effected  by 
aconitine  (English  and  German),  brucine,  conine,  digitaline,  nicotine, 
strychnine,  papaverine,  narceine,  codeine,  and,  in  accordance  with  the 
statements  of  the  named  chemists,  veratrine.  To  these  may  also  be 
added  picrotoxin  (in  neutral  solution),  while  atropine  produced  no 
reduction. 
If  it  be  accepted  that  the  ptomaines  which,  according  to  a  recent 
investigation  of  A.  Casali  ('^Gazz.  chim.,"  1881,  p.  314),  are  considered 
as  amido  acids,  possess  a  stronger  property  of  reduction  than  most 
alkaloids,  it  is  seen  from  the  communicated  experiments  that  a  dis- 
tinguishing reaction  between  plant  poisons  and  ptomaines  with  regard 
to  their  behavior  towards  potassium  ferricyanide  cannot  be  observed. 
The  author  finally  mentions  that  he  is  still  occupied  with  the 
examination  of  the  crystalline,  or  amorphous  precipitates,  which  are 
produced  by  potassium  ferricyanide  and  ferrocyanide  with  the  alkaloids 
mentioned. — Archiv  der  Phai^m.,  Feb.,  1882  pp.,  104 — 106. 
The  Prsence  of  Ptomaines  in  the  Inferior  Animals.  By  M.  Schlag- 
denhaufPen. — The  author  reviews  the  history  of  the  important  discov- 
ery of  this  class  of  organic  poisons  by  the  Italian  chemists  Moriggia 
and  Battistini,  in  1875,  which  were  also  observed  at  about  the  same 
time  by  Selmi,  Casali  and  Vella,  and  who  called  attention  to  their 
great  importance  in  toxicology.  More  recently  Brouardel  and  Boutmy, 
as  also  A.  Gautier,  have  occupied  themselves  with  the  study  of  the 
formation  of  these  bodies.  According  to  the  former,  the  ptomaines  are 
the  result  of  the  putrid  transformation  of  albuminous  bodies.  They 
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