Absorption of Nickel and Cobalt. 155 



The animal died on the 12th. On the last day, 15 c. c. of thick, dark 

 brown, viscid urine were voided which contained 1'8 milligrams of 

 cobalt. 7-15 grams of fseces excreted during the last 24 hours were 

 found to contain about 100 milligrams of cobalt. Obviously a large 

 amount of the cobalt passes directly through the alimentary canal, 

 while of the absorbed portion considerable is eliminated through' the 

 urine, much more indeed than the small amounts found in the kidneys 

 would appear to warrant. 



On analysis of the organs of this rabbit, the folloAving results 

 were obtained : 



Total weight Co per 100 grams 



of organ. Weight of Co. of tissue, 



grams. milligrams. milligrams. 



Liver-.... 66-00 2-6 3-94 



Spleen.-.. 0-40 0-5 125-00 



Kidneys 15-30 0-5 8-27 



Heart.. 10-73 0-1 0-93 



Lungs 7-02 1-0 14-24 



Muscle of leg 140-00 9-8 7-00 



Muscle of back 130-00 4-7 3-61 



Brain.. 8-35 1-5 17-96 



Spinal cord 4-10 2-0 48-78 



Here, as in many of the preceding cases, the lungs contain a 

 higher percentage of the poison than either the liver or kidneys, 

 while the brain and spinal cord contain a still higher percentage. 



With this rabbit, convulsions were noticed shortly before death 

 and the breathing was very labored, as if the respiratory muscles 

 were aftected. 



An experiment, similar to the preceding, tried with nickel, led to 

 a like result as regards the elimination of the poison. The first 24 

 hours' urine (25 c. c.) contained 1-6 milligrams of nickel, while the 

 portion (70 c. c.) passed during the 24 hours preceding death con- 

 tained 8-1 milligrams of the metal. Further, 3-5 grams of faeces 

 excreted during the last 24 hours contained 17*5 milligrams of nickel. 



It is obvious from the foregoing that soluble nickel and cobalt 

 salts are possessed of decided toxic properties, but that their poison- 

 ous action is somewhat slow and manifested only when compara- 

 tively large amounts of the salts are administered. Further, so far 

 as our experiments show, the two salts act very much alike. Both 

 apparently cause death by stopping the action of the heart and also 

 produce more or less disturbance in the alimentary tract, interfering 

 with digestion, producing more or less inflammation of the mucous 



