We have seen, at the beginning of this volume, that putrid meats contain ptomaines, which are among the most toxic alkaloidal bases. We have shown that Brieger has isolated from them neuridine, putrescine, muscarine, and guanidine; that Nencki has isolated hydrocollidine; and that Gautier and Etard have obtained from them parvoline—only to mention a few of them.
Lastly, there may develop within the gastrointestinal tract dangerous putrefactions, the products of which may enter the veins and arteries from the ileum (a portion of the small intestine) and be distributed throughout the organism. Although such poisonings occur, they do not immediately follow the ingestion of the spoiled or toxic foods, but they are always preceded by a period of incubation varying from several hours to several days.
These alimentary poisonings are recognized by a great physical depression, accompanied by vomiting and paralysis of the lower extremities, sweats, and diarrheas. In some cases there occur cutaneous eruptions; and when death happens, this occurs only several days later, and generally without being preceded by any great pain.
Urinary Toxins.—As we have already remarked several times, it is by the renal way that the organism voids its principal waste products.
We have seen also that it is by the kidneys that the toxins are eliminated in all pathological conditions. As a general rule, the urines are always more or less toxic. This toxicity of the urines must be attributed in the first place to the crystallizable organic principles (ptomaines and leucomaines[75]) which they contain; secondly, to the non-crystallizable[76] extractive matters not so well known; and lastly, to the saline substances, among which the potassium salts are the most active. We find these mineral salts particularly abundant under normal conditions in the urines of the herbivora. According to Bouchard, 0.18 Gm. of potassium chloride are sufficient to prove fatal to 1000 Gm. of living organism; a man excretes on the average 2.5 Gm. of this salt, and a rabbit excretes about double this quantity, weight for weight.
A very large number of hypotheses have been advanced regarding the toxicity of the urines. Wilson considers the urea as being responsible for it; Stadthagen[77] believes it to be due to the potassium salts, etc. Bouchard[78] was the first to recognize that the toxicity of the urines is due to a number of causes. We will not dwell further on these active principles which, in the last analysis, are no other than those that form in the various portions of the organism, and which are eliminated by the urine.
It is self-evident, and it has already been shown, that the toxicity of the urines varies greatly according to the malady, in consequence of the elimination of toxins by the urines. According to Bouchard, in infectious maladies the urines are twelve times more highly charged with toxins than is blood serum. Moreover, the toxicity of the urines is considerably augmented the moment there is the least febrile condition, no matter what the cause is.[79]
Even in the normal condition, the urinary toxicity varies greatly; and this is easily conceived since the physiological phenomena that control this secretion undergo incessant rise and fall. Thus, for example, the urines eliminated during sleep are less active than those produced during waking, because during sleep the elimination of cellular poisons is at a minimum. Exercise, walking, physical and intellectual labor, exert their portion of influence on these oscillations of toxicity; and this variation of toxicity is due not to any one variation in the mineral extractive matters, but rather more or less to the organic toxic products. We will not dwell further on this subject, but will simply refer to the work by Charrin, already mentioned, for all supplementary details.
Autointoxications.[80]—The cells of the organism having, as a whole, a life very much like that of the microbes, it is quite natural that among the excreted products of the living tissues there should be found the same substances formed as a result of the anaerobic fermentation of albuminoids. Experiment has demonstrated that this is so, and Armand Gautier has irrefutably proven the existence of these principles.[81] Bouchard was the first to demonstrate the toxic nature of muscle extract,[82] and Roger[83] established the fact that the toxicity of this extract is due to ferment-toxins; it has since been recognized that after death these toxins accumulate in the muscles.
The extract of kidney made rapidly by cold process by triturating the washed kidney with glycerin, and precipitating the glycerinic solution with alcohol, contains toxic ferments to which the name "hystozymes" has been given.[84] These ferments split up hippuric acid into benzoic acid and glycocoll. Lépine has likewise discovered in the kidney a very toxic pyrogenic substance.[85] Roger has given us evidence of the toxic properties of the liver, washed and pulped, and then sterilized by filtration through a porous diaphragm. This scientist has shown that the toxic properties are due to albuminoids, which lose their activity when heated to 100°C.[86]