The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-11-03
The Cause Of Death.

ieath takes place in all fatal diseases;
hat is, we say, that an individual dies,
either by the brain, heart or lungs. In
reality, however, we are still ignorant
now death is brought about, how the
machinery comes to sudden stand-still,
what extinguishes, with the last flicker
ng of the final expiration, the vital spark
forever. The brain may be extirpated,
and animal life has been observed to be
still going on; the heart may apparently
cease beating, and yet the existence of
The being is not finally ended; respira-
ton is to all appearances not filing
and emptying the air vessels any more,
but still more than vegetation keeps up
The complicated machinery, the spark Of
life still fingers.
What, then, is it that usually causes
Heath? Does it not look very much like
the sudden action of powerful poison,
which so thoroughly and at once disinte.
CRATES the great circulating, life-giving
and life-preserving fluid, the blood. that
the nerve-centers end their existence,
and force the organism to cease every
motion, like an engine deprived of its
steam?
Experiments that have lately been
made, and which we have to thank for
the discovery of the Pionaines, may tend
to lead us step further in solving the
question before us.
A. Gautier has made these ptomaincS
Especial study. Ithas been demonstrated
that many organic substances, the tibrin
in the blood, the urine, and certain COM
pounds of tissues, when decomposing,
give rise to alkaloids-called ptomaines
which are powerful poisons. This dis
covery we owe mainly to Selmi. But
Gautier has done more. He thought that
If such alkaloids are formed on the de-
composition of organic substances, why
may not, in the course of the common
change of tissues, if the latter is devia-
ting from its true course, also such pto-
maines be called into existence.
The result of these Investigations fully
confirmed his theory. A disciple of G.
Pouchet succeeded in obtaining from
the normal urine fixed and easily crys-
tallizable alkaloid, the hydrochlolic COM
pounds of which crystalline, as well as
those with gold Chord, and platinum
Chord. And this alkaloid has been found
to be exceedingly poisonous; in most
minute doses it causes stupor, tetanus
and death within the shortest time i'm
aginable, stopping the heart in systole.
This very quality relegates this alkaloid
of the urine to the .ptomaineS, for the
toxic effect of which the stoppage of the
heart in systole is most characteristic.
Gautier was able to isolate from the
poison of the poisonous snakes CTrigor-
rocephalus and NajO two similar aka
toids.
Gautier proved also the intensely pois-
onous action of the human saliva on
birds. He evaporated twenty grms. of
saliva in the water bath, dried the 0. %
grm., weighing residue, and dissolved
it in warm water. This solution injected
into small bird, under the skin. caused
stupor, dilatation of the pupil, increased
frequency of respiration, and, in all
eases, death. He was able to isolate an
also out of the human saliva
This alkaloid gave the same color reac-
ton as the other ptomaines.
The ptomaiues are very easily oXidiza-
plt. anu Dc
NAL change of tissues, even without the
presence of oxygen.
What may all these investigations. and
their astonishing results, not explain?
If a hypodermic injection of some vege-
table alkaloid accidentally is made into a
larger vein, and fatal result the conse-
quence, under all the symptoms which
we used to aScribe TO the entrance of air,
may not the real cause of death be found,
perhaps, in the sudden formation of these
poisonous animal alkaloidse May not
many other similar occurrences, which
to-day are clouded in mystery rs yet.
find a similar Interpretation? May not,
at the time of the dissolution of the body,
a similar process turn out forever the
flame of life?--Medical and Surgical
Reporter.