ACTION OF ANTIPYRETIC ANALGESICS 335 



gesics its effect coming closer to that of the narcotics than that 

 of most other antipyretics. It was furthermore interesting to 

 note that when the antipyretics exerted an influence on the re- 

 action time, the simple reflexes or reactions to sound, light, and 

 touch were more prolonged or impaired than the more complex 

 association tests. Of the three simple reactions that of touch 

 was more generally retarded than of sound or light. The asso- 

 ciation tests were also depressed or impaired, but usually in a 

 distinctly lesser degree than the simple reactions or reflexes. 

 Thus, for instance, the absolute readings in case of the mathe- 

 matical calculations were sometimes even actually improved and 

 the depressant effect of the drug revealed itself only through the 

 greater number of errors committed. 



Experiments with combinations of the various antipyretics 

 gave results which could be explained by a simple summation or 

 addition of the individual effects of the components. No so- 

 called synergism or potentiation of one drug by another was 

 observed. 



The curious difference in the effect of the drugs on the simple 

 reactions as compared with that on the more complex ones is the 

 direct opposite of the results obtained after administration of 

 opium or morphin. In the latter case, the simple reactions were 

 always less impaired than the more complex association t.ests. 

 A comparison of the findings obtained with the two groups of 

 analgesics, the opiates or narcotics, and the antipyretic anal- 

 gesics, seems to point to some lower synapse as the seat of action 

 of the coal tar derivatives. 



