The Bossier banner., 1882-11-23
The Cause Of Death.

1
We know, almost for certain, how
death takes place in all fatal diseases:
that is, we say, that an individual dies,
either by the BRAIN. heart or lungs. In
reality, however, we are still ignorant
how death is brought about, how the
machinery comes to sudden stand still,
what extinguishes, with the last flicker
ing 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 filling
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
death? Does it not look very much like
the sudden action of a 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? ~ - So N5es "a
Experiments that have lately been
made, and which we have to thank for
the discovery of the P5onsai,aes, may tend
to lead us a step further in solving the
question before us.
A. Gautier has made these ptomaines
Especial study. 1t has been demonstrated
that many organic substances, the fibrin
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 crvs-
tallizable alkaloid, the hydrochlolic COM
pounds of which crystalline, as well as
those with gold chlorid. and platinum
chlorid. 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 (Trigor-
rocephalus and Naja) two similar aka
loids.
Gautier proved also the intensely pois.
onous action of the human saliva on
birds. He eyaporated twenty grms., of
saliva in the water bath, dried the O. 25
grm., weighing residue, and dissolved
it in warm water. This solution injected
into a small bird, under the skin, caused
stupor, dilatation of the pupil. increased
frequency of respiration, and, in all
cases, death. He was able to isolate an
alkaloid also out of the human saliva.
This alkaloid gave the same color reac-
ton as the other ptomaines. +
The ptomaines are very easily oxidiza-
BILE, and may be formed during the nor
NAL change Of tissues, even without the
presence of oxygen. s.s.
What may all these Investigations, and
their astonishing results, not explains
Ii hypodermic injection of some vege-
table alkaloid accidentally is made into
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 alkaloids? May not |
many other similar occurrences, which |
to-day are clouded in mystery as yet.
find similar interpretation? May not,
at the time of the dissolution of the body,
q similar process turn out forever the |
flame of lifeP-Medical and Surgical
Reporter. 3ft+ &