The hemolytic actions of a number of short‐chain alkylamine hydrochlorides were studied. Primary salts, produced complete hemolysis but secondary, tertiary, and quaternary salts produced incomplete hemolysis. This was attributed to the increased bulkiness and lipophilicity of the successively alkyl‐substituted amine cations. In each group of the salts, the hemolytic activity increased with increasing alkyl chain length. The importance of the interaction of the alkylamine cations with phospholipid in the erythrocyte membrane was emphasized on the basis of the amount of lipids released by the cations from erythrocytes. Copyright © 1969 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company