EFFECTS OF CERTAIN DKUGS AND POISONS 767 



heroin, and by Barbour, Maurer and von Glahn), the alkaline urine of 

 dogs after morphin (Underbill, Blatherwick and Goldschmidt), and the 

 increased carbon dioxid capacity of the blood after morphin (Henderson 

 and Haggard, Hjort and Taylor). Henderson and Haggard interpret the 

 phenomenon as illustrative of the power of the respiratory mechanism to 

 exert an influence upon the alkali reserve of the blood. The extra alkali 

 must be obtained, of course, at the expense of the tissues. 



This effect of morphin is probably of value in the prophylaxis of 

 operative acidosis (preventing acapnia with its consequent loss of blood 

 alkali), but the bicarbonate prophylaxis possesses the advantage of fur- 

 nishing new alkali to combat the acid production from various sources. 

 The superiority of opiates over other narcotics may be related to their 

 protecting effect upon the alkali of the blood. 



Water Metabolism. Ginsberg found that morphin decreases the 

 urine flow in dogs, a property commonly exhibited by anesthetics. Opiates 

 seem to promote the retention of water in the body by their action upon 

 most of the secretions. The prevention of the exudation associated with 

 colocynth diarrhea (Padtberg(&)) is pertinent in this connection. Fur- 

 thermore, Bogert, Mendel and Underbill found the drug very potent in 

 prolonging the retention of injected saline in the circulation. This hy- 

 dremic tendency accords with its temperature-depressing capacity. 



VII. Antipyretics 



Antipyrin, Acetanilid, Phenacetin, the Salicylates, Quinin, Cinchophen 

 (Atophan), and Related Substances. 



In general the antipyretics resemble the narcotics in producing 

 analgesia, anuria, hyperglycemia and increased protein metabolism. They 

 differ from the last in failing to induce narcosis, glycosuria or fatty 

 changes. Furthermore, given in therapeutic doses, they exhibit their 

 hydremic, antipyretic and oxidation-depressing effects only in patho- 

 logical conditions associated with fever. Significant changes in the acid- 

 base metabolism have not been demonstrated in connection with their 

 action. 



Total Metabolism. A large number of researches, involving the 

 methods both of direct and indirect calorimetry, have been made upon 

 the total metabolism and heat balance under antipyretic drugs. It may 

 safely be regarded as established that antipyretic drugs, in man at least, 

 do not act primarily by diminishing the total oxidations. Furthermore, 

 marked increases in the heat elimination can be demonstrated. 



In normal individuals so far as is known, therapeutic doses of none 

 of the enumerated substances reduce the respiratory exchange at all. The 

 quinin group, however, has occasionally been held to do this. In hitherto 



