ACTION OF OPIUM ON PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTION TIME 31 



It is interesting to note that in the case of both narcophin 

 and pantopon, much less nausea was produced by those combi- 

 nations than by the same amount of morphin which they con- 

 tain, when given alone. This agrees perfectly with numerous 

 other experiences of one of the authors (M.) recorded else- 

 where (13). 



SUMMARY 



A careful analysis of all the experiments performed lead the 

 authors to the following conclusions: 



1. The effect of morphin alone and in combination with other 

 opium alkaloids depends upon the dose used and may be mani- 

 fested by a change in the mean reading, a change in the mean 

 variation of the readings, or by both of these; and in case of 

 association tests, by the number of errors made in performing a 

 mathematical calculation. 



2. After small doses of morphin, there is generally a primary 

 stage of stimulation or quickened reaction time; this may or may 

 not be followed by a secondary stage of depression, as indicated 

 by narcosis and prolongation of the reaction time. 



3. After larger doses of morphin, the primary stimulation stage 

 is very short and may be overlooked, whereas the secondary or 

 stage of depression is predominant. 



4. From the experiments made with combinations of morphin 

 with other opium alkaloids in the form of narcophin and pan- 

 topon, it appears that morphin given in such a form is more 

 narcotic and correspondingly more depressant to the psychic 

 functions than when the same dose of morphin is administered 

 to the same subject by itself. 



REFERENCES 



(1) ABEL: Physiological aspects of the liquor problem. 1903, ii, 1-169. 



(2) DODGE AND BENEDICT: Psychological effect of alcohol. Carnegie Insti- 



tute, Washington, 1915. 



(3) HOLLINGWORTH : Arch, of Psychol., no. 22, April, 1912. 



(4) LOEWALD: Kraepelin's Psychologische Arbeiten, 1896, i, 489. 



(5) POFFENBERGER : Arch, of Psychol. Am, Jr. of Psych, 1914, xxv, 82. 



(6) DIETL AND VINTSCHGAU: Pfliiger's Archiv, 1877, xvi, 316. 



