The non-bacillar nature of abrus-poison : with observations on its chemical and physiological properties / by C.J.H. Warden and L.A. Waddell.

Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The non-bacillar nature of abrus-poison : with observations on its chemical and physiological properties / by C.J.H. Warden and L.A. Waddell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    50/96 (page 34)
    Here, then, was some substance of an albuminous nature which had been removed from the infusion by the repeated filtrations, and a question arose as to whether or not the resulting liquid still retained its toxic power undiminished. The three following experiments were made to elicit this point:— Exp. XXXVL—Ten minims of the fresh infusion, which had been passed through two folds of filter-paper, were injected into a chicken. Death resulted in 18 hours. Exp. XXXVII.—Of the same infusion, after passing it through 14 folds of filter-paper, 16 minims were injected into a chicken. No apparent effect for four days Then it refused food, pined, and died on the 7th day. Exp. XXXVIII.—A similar experiment to the last was made at the same time on another chicken. Death occurred on the 10th day. From these experiments it was therefore evident that the activity of the seeds was associated with this proteid material, which had been in great part removed by the repeated filtra- tions (1). To isolate this proteid material so as to enable us to test directly its physiological action, we precipitated it by absolute alcohol from the clear filtrate obtained from a concentrated watery infusion. It fell as a fine white, flocculent precipi- tate, which, collected on a filter, became of a light slaty hue on exposure to air. About 1.J grains of this moist precipitate mixed with 15 minims of distilled water and injected into a chicken caused death in 20 hours. While a similar quantity, to which a few drops of sodio carbonate solution were added with the effect of thoroughly dissolving the precipitate, on injection into another chicken, caused death in 11 hours, with the character- istic post-mortem appearances of abrus-poisoning. The details of these two experiments are given below:— Exp. XXXIX.—A freshly-prepared concentrated watery infusion was filtered through two folds of Swedish filter-paper, and the clear filtrate treated with absolute alcohol in excess. A copious fine, white, flaky precipitate immediately appeared, and was collected by filtration. The (1) Schmidt showed that on filtering an albuminous liquid the filtrate contains less albumin, b it no nualitative change occurs—Poggendorfs Annalen for 1865.