Physiological Action of Uranium Salts. 17 



proved to be slightly inflamed, and with cells infiltrated into it more 

 or less. Colon and rectum were empty. 



From these results, collectively, it is to be seen that uranium is an 

 irritant poison and, like other metallic irritants, produces gastro-intes- 

 tinal irritation of more or less intensity, as shown by the acute diar- 

 rhoea and other symptoms met with in this lorm of poisoning. In 

 the majority of cases, the action of the uranium salt on the intestines 

 results in a simple enteritis, but this is liable to pass eventually into 

 acute catarrhal inflammation. 



As ordinarily administered, it is not in any sense a rapid poison; 

 the ingestion of a fatal dose of a uranium salt is not followed by any 

 noticeable effects for some time. The action of a small amount (150 

 milligrams) is apparently as rapid and pronounced as that of large 

 quantities (I gram). The first noticeable symptom in rabbits is gen- 

 eral weakness, lack of motor power, loss of coordination and occa- 

 sional temporary paralysis of the locomotor muscles. Introduced 

 into the stomach in suflicient amounts, it checks digestion and even 

 stops it altogether. On the other hand, it appears to increase some- 

 what proteid metabolism and also to increase the elimination of car- 

 bonic acid and raise the body temperature. Hence, it is to be consid- 

 ered as having a direct action on nutrition, the disturbance of which 

 is also plainly indicated by the rapid emaciation which follows the 

 administration of uranium. 



Its most marked lesions are its destructive action on the kidneys, 

 and its destruction of the kidney tissue itself. It causes here an acute 

 parenchymatous nephritis of the same kind as found in arsenic, mer. 

 cury, and phosphorus poisoning. Further, the quantity of albumin 

 found in the urine shows plainly how greatly the blood vessels are 

 involved in the inflammation. The albuminuria produced is severe and 

 constant, and when the uranium is given in a single large dose, as in ex- 

 periment No. IX, or in a small dose by hypodermic injection, as in ex- 

 periment No. VIII, then albumin may appear in the urine within 24 

 hours. The uranium must have some specifically destructive action on 

 the kidney epithelium cells, causing them to swell and break down. At 

 first, with small doses of uranium, the urine is decidedly increased in 

 volume, but later on, when toxic action is more pronounced, there may 

 be a partial or even complete suppression of the urine. This latter 

 condition is naturally more quickly produced by large doses of ura- 

 nium. In several cases, suppression of urine would seem to have been 

 the cause of death. The urine, too, in a short time after the admin- 

 Traxs. Conn. Acad., Vol. VIII. 3 Nov., 1888. 



