ACUTE INTOXICATION BABBITS. 31 



March 3: 9.30 a. m., no symptoms, rabbit looks normal. 



March 4: 11 a. m., posterior extremities abducted, walked when placed on the 



"!, made no attempt to change attitude when placed on its side, remained some 

 time in this position. 



March 5: 9 a. m., found dead. Autopsy: Liver showed areas of degeneration; 

 kidneys congestion and potechial hemorrhage on cortex; small and large intestines, 

 inflammation marked ; bladder distended. 

 Rabbit 7 5. Gray and white, female. Weight, 842 grams. 



January 25: 3 p. m., 8.5 cc 2 per cent caffein solution (0.2 gram per kilo) injected 

 into peritoneal cavity; 3.15 p. m., anterior extremities weak and reflexes increased. 



January 27: Rabbit paralyzed but is able to turn over when placed on back. 

 Rabbit 74. Gray and white, female. Weight, 692 grams. 



January 25: 3 p. m., 7 cc 2 per cent caffein (0.2 gram per kilo) solution injected 

 into peritoneal cavity; 3.15 p. m., reflexes increased and anterior extremities paralyzed. 



January 27: Rabbit recovered and is able to walk about in the room. 

 Rabbit 312, maltese, female. Weight, 740 grams. Diet, oats. 



March 3: 11.47 a. m., urine obtained from bladder, appearance normal, no albumen, 

 no reduction of Fehling's solution; 11.50 a. m., 7.5 cc 2 per cent caffein (0.2 gram per 

 kilo) injected into peritoneal cavity; 2.30 p. m. anterior extremities paralyzed, pos- 

 terior extremities rigid and extended; 5 p. m. (about), rabbit died. 

 Rabbit 311. Belgian hare, female. Weight, 650 grams. Diet, oats. 



March 3: 11.26 a. m., urine obtained from bladder normal in appearance, albumen 

 considerable, reduction of Fehling's solution none; 11.27 a. m., 6 cc 2 per cent caffein 

 solution (0.2 gram per kilo) injected into peritoneal cavity; 2.30 p. m., rabbit seemed 

 to be normal, no symptoms had developed; urine collected contained a large amount 

 of sugar, reduction was very heavy, but no albumen was found. 



March 4: 11 a. m., condition good, moves about when put on floor; gait, normal. 

 Rabbit 78. Yellow and white. Weight 659 grams. 



January 26: 1.30 p. m., 8.5 cc 2 per cent caffein (250 mg per kilo) injected into 

 peritoneal cavity, under observation the rest of the afternoon, no symptoms. 



January 27: 4 p. m., no symptoms developed. 

 Rabbit S17. Belgian hare, female. Weight 685 grams. Diet oats. 



March 15: 10.35 a. m., 8 cc 2 per cent caffein (0. 252 gram per kilo) injected into 

 peritoneal cavity; 12 noon, marked abduction of hind legs, was unable to walk after 

 a little exertion, rabbit died between 12.30 and 12.50 p. m. Autopsy. Right lung 

 hepatized and showed adhesions to costal and mediastinal pleura; liver studded 

 with nodules of coccidiosis; spleen congested; stomach filled, mucosa normal; intes- 

 tines injected; colon hemorrhagic on serosa in ventral region, near point of injection; 

 kidneys normal. 

 Rabbit S28. White, female. Weight 820 grams. Diet oats. 



March 15: 10.45 a. m., 10 cc 2 ;per cent caff em (250 mg per kilo) injected into peri- 

 toneal cavity; 12 noon, reflexes increased, hind legs abducted but is able to walk, 

 symptoms are mild; 1.40 p. m., tremors, weakness, and abduction of head and legs 

 much more marked than at 12 noon. 



March 16: Condition good. 



March 17: Condition good, recovery apparently complete. 



Since the experiments of Series A, which were intended as preliminary tests, have 

 shown that 0.3 gram of caffein per kilo when introduced into the peritoneal cavity is 

 rapidly absorbed and is fatal, much smaller doses were employed in subsequent 

 trials with the drug. This is shown in series B, which may be divided into two 

 groups. Group I, consisting of rabbits 69, 70, 92, 93, and 309, which received 0.2 

 gram of caffein per kilo, and Group II, Nos. 307 and 308, into which 0.15 gram of 

 caffein per kilo was injected. Three rabbits of Group I (Nos. 92, 93, 309) died from 

 the effects of caffein; rabbit 309 twenty minutes after injection, and rabbits Nos. 92 

 and 93, twenty hours and two and one-half hours, respectively, after the administration 

 of caffein. In both of these rabbits symptoms appeared within five minutes after the 

 injections were made. Rabbits 69 and 70, it will be noticed, survived the same 

 amount of caffein in proportion to body weight as was given to the other members of 

 this group. Increased peristalsis and the distribution of the dose may account for the 

 greater resistance of rabbit No. 69. The case of rabbit No. 70 is evidently one of ex- 

 ceptional resistance to caffein, since both the rabbits of Group II died from the effects 



