AMYL-NITRITE 389 



excitement, pawing, plunging, difficult breathing, dulness, 

 diminished sensation, yellow membranes, solution of the 

 red globules, with discharge of haemoglobin in the urine, 

 great weakness continuing for twelve hours, while weariness, 

 anaemia, and emaciation persisted for a week. 



Dogs receiving three to four grammes per kilogramme of 

 body- weight had difficulty in balancing themselves, and 

 cerebral narcosis followed later. Medicinal doses of fifteen 

 to thirty minims, after brief excitement, cause sleep, lasting 

 six or eight hours. But its effects are by no means certain 

 when the patient is excited or pained. It is an antidote to 

 strychnine poisoning. In human practice it is prescribed 

 in nervous insomnia, and as a hypnotic in cardiac cases. 

 On account of its local irritant effects it is unsuitable for 

 hypodermic injection. Doses, for the dog, H\vi. to H\xxx., 

 in simple syrup or in capsule. 



AMYL-NITRITE 

 AMYL-NITRIS. Nitrite of Amyl. C 5 H 11 N0 2 . 



A liquid produced by the interaction of nitrous acid, and 

 amylic alcohol which has been distilled between 262 and 

 270 Fahr. It consists chiefly of iso-amyl nitrite, C 5 H n N0 2 , 

 but contains other nitrites of the homologous series (B.P.). 

 Amyl-nitrite is a yellow, ethereal, limpid, volatile liquid, 

 with a fragrant odour. Specific gravity, 0*870 to 0'880. 

 Nearly insoluble in water ; soluble in rectified spirit, ether, 

 and chloroform, and is itself a solvent for oils. It speedily 

 deteriorates unless kept in well-stoppered bottles in a cool 

 dark place. 



ACTIONS AND USES. It has in marked degree the actions 

 of a nitrite, relaxing and paralysing non-striped muscle. 

 It is hence an antispasmodic of involuntary muscle, dilates 

 arterioles, and is prescribed chiefly in angina pectoris and 

 asthma. 



GENERAL ACTIONS. Whether in the test tube or in the 

 body, it converts the haemoglobin of the blood into met- 

 hsemoglobin, which does not readily part with oxygen ; 

 internal respiration is accordingly interfered with ; con- 



