352. Dr. T. L. Brunton and Mr. T. J. Bokenliam. [Feb. 14, 



IV. " On the comparative Action of Hydroxylamine and Nitrites 

 upon Blood-pressure." By T. LATJDER BRUNTON, M.D., 

 F.R.S., and T. JESSOPP BOKENHAM. Received February 7, 



1889. 



This communication forms part of an investigation on which one of 

 us (Brunton) has been engaged for some years past, and in aid of 

 which grants have been received from this Society.* 



In this investigation the action of various compound ammonias,t 

 and also of some nitrites, and allied bodies, has been examined. 



The plan of research required hydro xylamine (NH 3 0), forming as 

 it does a link between these two classes of bodies, to be specially 

 examined. The action of this body has recently become a subject of 

 experiment by other workers, || and it therefore seems advisable to 

 publish now one remarkable relationship between it and nitrites, 

 reserving for a later communication other results of this research. 

 Two of the most striking effects of nitrites are: their power (a) to 

 alter the colour of the blood, ^[ and (6) to lower the pressure of blood 

 within the vessels.** 



Both of these properties are also possessed by nitroglycerine,tt and 

 Hay has shown that the effect of this substance is due to the fact that 

 it is decomposed in the blood with evolution of nitrous acid.JJ. 



Hydroxylamine is a body in which two affinities of nitrogen are 

 saturated by hydrogen instead of by oxygen as in nitrous acid. Its 

 relation to nitrous acid will be seen by a comparison of their graphic 

 formulae 



Hydroxylamine. Nitrous acid. 



-0 H. 0N H. 



* May, 1874, for investigation of the physiological action of ammonia, and others 

 in 1877, 1884, and 1887. 



t Brunton and Cash, ' Phil. Trans.,' 1884, p. 197. 



I Brunton and Gresswell. Details not published. Vide 'St. Bartholomew's 

 Hospital Reports/ 1876, p. 143, and ' Pharmaceutical Journal,' December 22, 1888, 

 pp. 491 and 495. 



Brunton and Tail, " Physiological Action of Nitroglycerine," ' St. Bartholomew's 

 Hospital Reports,' 1876, p. 140. 



|| Binz, " Toxicologisches iiber das Hydroxylamin," ' Yirchow s Archiv.' 



T A. Gamgee, 'Phil. Trans.,' 1868, pp. 589626. 



** Gamgee, quoted by Brunton, ' Lancet,' 1867, July 27. Brunton, ' Ludwig's 

 Arbeiten,' 1869. 



ft Brunton and Tait, ' St. Bartholomew's Hospital Eeports,' 1876, p. 144. 



J J Hay, " The Chemical Nature and Physiological Action of Nitroglycerine," 

 ' Practitioner,' June, 1883, vol. 30, p. 429. 



