PTOMAINES, t3'in5nz (from Gk. 71-r3f.a, pto Ina, corpse, from 7rirrefp, pipteiit. to fall : connected with petcsthai, to fly, Lat. pc/co-, to at tack, seek, Skt. pat. to fly, fall). A name applied to a class of poisonous organic substances of ani mal origin, extremely similar in their chemical and physical properties and physiological action to the vegetable alkaloids. The similarity of the ptomaines and the alkaloids i.s important inas much as it throws doubt on the results of post mortem analyses for the detection of vegetable poisons administered during life. Ptomaines are among the characteristic products of the putre factive changes taking place in the body after death. It seems, however. that these poisons can not be detected before the expiration of about two days after death. if therefore analysis should reveal the existence of poisonous matter before that time, the conclusion would he that it had been administered during life; hut if the analyti cal tests should be applied after the lapse of two days, the results would be subject to serious doubt. The effects that often follow from using had fish or canned meat are Imohahly due to the action of ptomaines. There is also increasing evi dence that the symptoms of many diseases are caused, not by the specific micro-organisms them selves, but by the ptomaines produced by them. Chemically the ptomaines are amines; that is to say, they contain one or more NH, groups at tached to hydrocarbon radicles. Following are a few of the more important ptomaines. known: CH, , one of N H„ the products of the pancreatic putrefaction of gel atin, was isolated by Neneki in IS71.
Cada rerine, penta - methylene - diamine, is found in corpses during the earlier stages of putrefactive decomposition; it is a liquid solidifying to a crystalline mass at low temperatures and forming crystalline compounds with acids and with certain salts.
tetra - methylene- diamine, NIL is found in considerable quantities in putrid herrings and in corpses luring the lat ter stages of putrefactive decomposition; it is, like cadaverin, a liquid crystallizing in the cold and combining with acids and certain salts to form crystalline compounds.
('htiliae, trimethyl-oxyethyl-annnonium hydrox ide, is found among the products of decomposition of pig's or ox bile; it is a thick, colorless liquid readily de composing if mixed with water and heated: it acts as a strong base, forming deliquescent salts with acid, and also crystalline compounds with certain salts. It may be prepared from the yolk of eggs by decomposing the lecithin of the latter as follows: the yolk is carefully extracted with alcohol and ether, and the residue is boiled with caustic baryta ; on precipitating the barium with carbonic acid and filtering, the solution is evapo rated and the residue extracted with absolute alcohol, from which the choline is precipitated in the form of its platinum-chloride salt and the hit ter i.s decomposed with sulphureted hydrogen. \Vurtz succeeded in preparing choline syntheti cally.
earine, trimethyl-vinyl-ammonium-hydroxide. is chemically similar to choline, from which it may be prepared: it is a highly poisonous liquid ptomaine, forming crystalline compounds with acids and with cer tain salts; it is a common product of the putre faction of meat.