PTOMAINES, a series of organic nitro genous bodies, closely resembling the vegetable alkaloids in many of their chemical properties. They are present in many animal products, and are formed either by the chemical breaking down of complex nitrogenous molecules or by bacterial agencies capable of inducing similar decompositions. Most of the ptomaines are am monia compounds. By the older chemists all of this group of so-called animal alkaloids were termed ptomaines, but later studies have even a series of groups of these bodies. Thus ptomaines, leucomaines and toxins are at pres ent recognized; the former being the results of abnormal catabolic changes, due to chemical or bacterial agencies; the leucomaines being usu ally normal catabolic compounds of this group. The toxins are ptomaines, products usually of bacterial decomposition or ferment activity of some type or other, and which are poisonous. Many of the ptomaines are inert; others, the toxins are poisonous, some highly so. Ptomaine poisoning resulting from eating altered sausage meat, mussels, tinned meats, etc., is due to some form of toxin. • Chemically the ptomaines con tain carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. They belong mostly to the amines or substituted ammonia /H compounds, monomethyl amine, N — H being \ CHs one of the simplest of these bodies. It is present in many decomposing foodt, and even as mercurialine in a living plant. Dimethylamine, (CHs),NH and trimethylamine, (CHs),N, are similar ptomaines of this simpler group.
Amines of higher alcohols are also common forms, ethylamine, butylamine and others being examples. Putrescine and cadaverine are more complex ptomaines which have been isolated from putrescent meat. They are both diamines. Nenridin, GH1.14,, was one of the first of this class isolated by Krieger, the practical founder of the study. Choline, neunne, betaine and muscarine are four oxygenated ptomaines of closely related chemical structure that are ps culiarly convertible one into another by simple chemical processes. Choline is non-poisonous, but neurine and muscarine are highly toxic. They are found in decomposing meat. Ifusca rine, from the poisonous fiyAnushroom, is thought to be identical or very closely similar to the choline, neurine, muscarine compound. My tilotorcin is the specific poison of the mussel. Typhotoxin and tetanotoxin are ptomaines sup posed to be the active poisons produced by the typhoid fever and lockjaw bacteria. Tyrotoxicon is a toxic ptomaine found in cheese and in ice cream. At least 200 ptomaines have been de scribed. (See Toxins and ANrrroxixs). For a full consideration of the many lines of thought on this subject, consult Vaughan, V. C., 'Ptomaines and Leucomaines and Cellular Toxins> (with Dr. Novy) ;