Antipyrin, and Antifebrin on Proteid MetahoUsm. 43 



or 5 "76 grams of urethan in three consecutive days, followed by a 

 period of six days in which the drug was not taken. 



The tables, giving the amounts in grams for the 24 hours' urine 

 of the several elements determined, show plainly that urethan has a 

 decided action on the metabolism of the body. 



On examining the results in detail, it is to be seen that urethan 

 has a very decided diuretic action, most noticeable on the second day the 

 drug was taken. In fact, this may be called the initial action of the 

 drug, since in both trials the amount of water excreted, after the first 

 increase, rapidly diminished as the dose of urethan was increased, and 

 indeed, the volume remained far below the average amount for two 

 or three days after the drug had been discontinued, or until its elimi- 

 nation from the system was fairly complete, when the volume of 

 fluid quickly rose to normal. 



The excretion of nitrogen is at once affected by urethan, even a 

 dose of five or ten grains bringing the nitrogen noticeably below the 

 normal amount. In both series, the excretion of nitrogen was greatly 

 diminished. On discontinuing the drug, the nitrogen excreted rapidly 

 increased in amount, and on the third or fourth day after its discon- 

 tinuance, the daily excretion of nitrogen passed considerably above 

 the normal. 



As regards the excretion of phosphorus, it would appear from the 

 experiments that the administration of small doses of urethan gives 

 rise to an increased excretion of this element, as seen from the results 

 obtained on May 5-9th. With larger doses of the drug, however, 

 the excretion of phosphorus is diminished, as seen from the results of 

 May 17-1 9th. As the excretion of sulphur runs parallel with the 

 excretion of nitrogen, both coming from the metabolism of proteid 

 matter, it follows that urethan when taken in small quantities 

 must exert an inhibitory influence on proteid metabolism, while it 

 stimulates the decomposition of certain phosphorized matters. In 

 larger doses, the inhibitory action of the drug on proteid metabolism 

 is still more pronounced, while at the same time the excretion of 

 phosphorus is also retarded. 



In no case was any hypnotic action noticeable. 



