TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 381 



improves its circulation. The action of iodin in the functional dis- 

 turbances of arteriosclerosis may be explained by this property since 

 such disturbances may be attributed to a faulty blood supply to the 

 organs. The analysis of the individual features of the process has 

 not yet been completed. 



E. BERNOULLI explains the action of bromin salts as a colloidal ac- 

 tion. Bromids, which are given as sedatives, induce in both man and 

 beast apathy and slumber as their most marked effect. It may be 

 demonstrated that a portion of the chlorin in the body is displaced 

 by bromin and that administration of NaCl induces recovery. E. 

 BERNOULLI has shown that the brain is more swollen in equimolecular 

 solutions of NaBr than of NaCl. In addition he was able to restore 

 rabbits poisoned with NaBr by injecting, instead of NaCl, other 

 salts which inhibit swelling (sodium sulphate and nitrate). Thus it 

 is highly probable that change in the function of the nerve cells in- 

 duced by bromids may be attributed to a swelling. 



In the case of the alkaline earths there occur actual specific actions 

 and we find transitions to irreversible conditions which are induced 

 by the salts of heavy metals on albumin and lipoid colloids. For 

 instance, barium has a very intense action on the heart and the 

 vascular musculature. Of all the anions sulphocyanid inhibits pre- 

 cipitation least, so that Wo. PAULI * 4 asserted, a priori, that a com- 

 bination of sulphocyanid and barium would exert an especially 

 severe effect. He maintained animals under the influence of a 

 moderate sulphocyanid intoxication which, though the heart was 

 strong and regular, stimulated the vagus and the vascular centers. 

 In a moderate-sized dog 5 mg. of barium chlorid sufficed to cause an 

 immediate stoppage of the heart. Calcium and strontium salts 

 acted in a similar way, but much larger doses were required since 

 with these there is much less specific affinity for heart muscle. 



C. NEUBERG * and his pupils were able to prepare in methyl alco- 

 hol colloidal solutions and jellies of compounds of calcium, strontium, 

 barium and magnesium, which are insoluble in water, as for instance 

 CaO, CaS0 4 , CaC0 3 , the oxalate and phosphate of Ca, MgHPO 4 , 

 BaC0 3 , etc. Since they are lipoid-soluble, it is possible they are of 

 importance in the animal organism. C. NEUBERG believes that pos- 

 sibly they may develop in the cells in the presence of sugar, glycerin 

 or even in the presence of ethyl alcohol in an aerobic respiration; in 

 my opinion the presence of the body colloids should suffice to permit 

 them to develop. The blood pressure elevating properties of barium 

 salts may eventually be utilized in the form of colloid solutions in- 

 asmuch as such solutions do not possess the undesirable by-effects 

 of barium salts. 



