ptomaine
noun [ C or U ] chemistry old-fashioned specialized uk/ˈtəʊ.meɪn/ us/ˈtoʊ.meɪn/
尸毒，尸碱（在腐烂的动植物中发现的一种物质，过去被认为会引起食物中毒）
a substance found in decaying vegetable and animal matter that used to be thought to cause food poisoning
The theory was that poorly preserved meats would be contaminated by ptomaine. 曾经的这个理论认为保藏不当的肉类会受到尸毒污染。
He was told that scurvy was an acidic condition of the blood caused by ptomaines in tainted meat. 他被告知坏血病是腐肉中的尸碱导致的血液酸性疾病。
(also ptomaine poisoning)食物中毒，尸碱中毒（缘于旧时误以为食物中毒是由尸碱引起的）
an illness caused by eating food containing ptomaine
Everyone in the restaurant got ptomaine from the sorbet. 餐馆里的每个人都是因为吃了冰沙而食物中毒。
Certain factors seemed to predispose people to chronic ptomaine poisoning, including darkness, intense exertion, and cold. 某些因素似乎使人容易慢性食物中毒，包括黑暗、剧烈运动和寒冷。
- More examples
- Ptomaine is a basic product of putrefaction.
- Even minute quantities of ptomaine might be enough to cause scurvy.
- When proteins are taken with sugar, they they are broken down into a variety of ptomaines and leucomaines.
- During the night I had thought myself dying of ptomaine poisoning.