760 HENRY G. BARBOUR 



ciated with increased ammonia excretion and ketosis. Moritz and Praus- 

 nitz found that it could be prevented by carbohydrate feeding. Feeding 

 butter fat or butyric acid will increase it. Bang(t') finds that, although 

 the fat of the liver is increased, the blood fat remains unaltered. 



Total Metabolism. The heat production was found increased by Lusk, 

 who attributes the change to the specific dynamic action of the increased 

 protein metabolism. Recently Hari and Aszodi have observed a marked 

 increase in the energy exchange and body temperature of starving dogs 

 after subcutaneous injection of 0.05 gram per kilo of phlorhizin. Op- 

 posite effects were noted, with relatively larger doses, in rats. These 

 authors believe that since the increases protein catabolism occurs in both 

 cases it cannot be held to account for the increased heat production in 

 dogs. They therefore postulate for phlorhizin a specific action upon the 

 heat regulating centers. 



VI. Narcotics 



The total metabolism is reduced by all .narcotic agents, whether classed 

 as anesthetics or hypnotics, during the stages in which sleep is present. 

 (For details see Jaquet.) This is the natural result of diminished muscu- 

 lar activity. The reverse may easily be demonstrated in the stage of 

 excitement produced by some narcotic drugs. 



The body temperature also has a tendency to fall during drug narcosis ; 

 as is well known this effect may result seriously if precautions to conserve 

 bodily heat are not observed. Since anesthetized mammals also become 

 more easily overheated than normal animals they may be described as 

 poikilothermic. This has been attributed to inhibition of the regulatory 

 influence of the "heat centers." (See Gottlieb, in Meyer and Gottlieb.) 



Whether hydremia regularly results from the hyperglycemia and 

 anuria which commonly accompany the action of all narcotic drugs is not 

 known, but seems indicated from the reduction in hemoglobin described 

 by DaCosta and Kalteyer. Hydremia would contribute toward a poikilo- 

 thermic condition. 



The narcotics will be further discussed under the following heads: 

 General anesthetics, hypnotics, alcohol, opiates. 



General Anesthetics. Chloroform and Ether. Protein Metabolism. 

 -The total nitrogen excretion is considerably increased both by ether 

 and chloroform, as was first noted by Strassmann. Taniguti and others 

 have found an increase in the chlorids and phosphates as well. Hawk 

 and Kleine found an increase in neutral sulphur. Pringle found the nitro- 

 gen excretion diminished (renal effect ?) during the anesthesia, but de- 

 cidedly increased during the following twenty-four to forty-eight hours. 



Hawk(&) found that the total nitrogen increase may amount to forty- 

 five per cent. It is usually considerably smaller. Chloroform was espe- 



