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

  • Waddell, L. A. (Laurence Austine), 1854-1938.
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 L.A. Waddell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    66/96 (page 50)
    come into contact ” (1). And in the exercise of this action, the ferment itself appears to be undestroyed, it being “ asserted that in the fermentive process excited by soluble ferments, the amount of ferment at the end of the process is the same as at the beginning ” (2). To ascertain whether or not abrin might possibly consist of ordinary pea-albumin plus.some soluble ferment which so reacted upon pea-albumin as to render it poisonous, the following experi- ments were undertaken. First of all the bland leguminous matter of the common pea (pmim) was injected without any poisoning symptoms developing:— Exp. LYII.—The solid matter of one pea deprived of its cuticle was, rubbed up with 20 minims distilled water and injected hypodermically into thigh of chicken. No effect. Exp. LYIII.—The above experiment was repeated on another chicken with no effect. Then a very small quantity of a weak infusion of abrus-seed was rubbed up with the bland leguminous matter of the common pea, and injected, but death did not occur sooner under these circum- stances than in the control experiments, where a similar quantity of the weak abrus infusion had been given by itself, as the follow- ing experiments show:— Exp. LIX.—One-eighth grain of abrus-seed was rubbed up with about 20 minims of distilled water and injected into a chicken. Death occurred after 6 days. Exp. LX.—The foregoing experiment was repeated in another chicken. Death occurred in 5| days. Exp. LXI.—With an ^th of a grain of abrus-seed, 1| grains of bland pea-albumin were rubbed up along with 20 minims of distilled water and injected. Death took place in 6 days. Exp. LXI I.—The foregoing experiment was repeated on another chicken. Death occurred in 7 days. The most common property of ferments is the power of decomposing proteids or starch. Direct experiment showed that abrin possesses no amylolytic power, or peptonising action on egg- albumin. (1) McKendrick’s Physiology, p. 49. (2) Ibid., p. 54.