Proteid poisons

Abstract

We have been able by diverse methods to split proteids, bacterial, vegetable and animal, into poisonous and non-poisonous products. The purpose of this abstract is to state briefly some of the properties of the poisons obtained by the cleavage of proteids.

The poisons obtained from the different proteids are similar but are not identical. All are soluble in both water and absolute alcohol, more freely in the latter than in the former. The aqueous solutions are acid and slowly decompose sodium bicarbonate, forming salts apparently, and these are less poisonous than the free acids. The aqueous solutions give the general color reactions for proteids with the exception of that of Molisch, and some of them give this reaction. However, most of the proteid poisons obtained by cleavage of the proteid molecule contain no carbohydrate and are free from phosphorus.

These poisons when injected into animals intra-abdominally, subcutaneously or intravenously induce characteristic symptoms and when administered in sufficient quantity kill promptly. There is a first stage which may be designated as that of peripheral irritation, which is characterized by restlessness and scratching. In the second stage there is partial paralysis, most marked in the posterior extremities; the third stage is characterized by more or less violent clonic convulsions and in the great majority of instances these terminate in death within half an hour after administration. Animals may show the first and second stages and still recover, but in the great majority the appearance of the convulsive stage indicates a fatal termination. As a rule death or recovery results within one hour and the former may occur within five minutes and, with an intravenous injection, the time may be even shorter than this. The fatal dose may vary from eight to one hundred milligrams according to the purity of the poison or the mode of administration.