Septembeb 13, 1907] 



SCIENCE 



343 



solutions and the staining of the celk corre- 

 sponds to the primary changes in the staining 

 solution. This applies to staining with pure 

 methylene blue and to such mixtures of 

 methylene blue and eosin as contain much 

 methylene blue. It also applies, perhaps, to 

 solutions of hematoxylin. The staining of the 

 cells in the light as well as in the dark depends 

 also upon the proportions in which both dyes 

 are present in the mixture. 



It is possible to distinguish the two factors 

 stated under a and h by killing the cells with 

 heat. The effect of light upon the cells which 

 is caused by its direct action upon them, dis- 

 appears if the cells have been previously killed. 

 The changes, on the contrary, which are sec- 

 ondary to the primary changes in the staining 

 solutions still occur. 



Means which diminish the oxidative proc- 

 esses in the cells (e. g., addition of KCN) and 

 also saturation of the solution with oxygen, do 

 not modify markedly the differences in the 

 staining of the cells in the light and in the 

 dark. 



The Abolition of Visceral Pain hy Intramus- 

 cular Injection of Cocaine: a Demonstra- 

 tion: LuDwiG East and S. J. Meltzer. 

 It was shown that the intestines of a normal 

 dog under slight ether anesthesia were not 

 devoid of the sensation of pain and that co- 

 caine (intramuscular injection) abolished the 

 pain through a remote anesthetic effect. 



The Effect of Nephrectomy upon the Toxicity 

 of Magnesium Sulphate when given hy 

 Mouth: a Demonstration: S. J. Meltzer. 

 It was shown that in nephrectomized rabbits, 

 magnesium sulphate produces a profound gen- 

 eral effect even when given by mouth, and that 

 the absence of such an effect after the usual 

 administration of the compound is due to the 

 comparatively prompt elimination through the 

 kidneys of a large part of the absorbed salt, 

 thus preventing at any given time the accu- 

 mulation within the organism of a quantity 

 equal to a toxic dose. 



Cbservaiions on a Railit for Thirty Months 

 after the Removal of the Superior Cervical 

 Ganglion: S. J. Meltzee. 

 The left superior cervical ganglion of a full- 



grown gray male rabbit was removed October 

 14, 1904. The animal died April 23, 1907. 

 During the last eighteen months of its life the 

 hlood vessels of hoth ears were never very wide 

 and showed hut little of the usual rhythmical 

 changes. 



After removal of the ganglion, a subcutane- 

 ous injection or an instillation of adrenalin 

 into the conjunctival sacs of the rabbit caused 

 dilation of the pupil on the side from which 

 the ganglion was removed. This biological 

 test for the absence of the ganglion was fre- 

 quently made within the two and a half years 

 of the animal's life and it was found that a 

 subcutaneous or intramuscular injection or an 

 instillation of adrenalin invariably caused a 

 long lasting dilation of the left pupil. In 

 further harmony with this proof that the gan- 

 glion was not regenerated, or at least the post- 

 ganglionic and preganglionic nerve fibers did 

 not grow together, it was found that while 

 stimulation of the right sympathetic easily 

 caused the usual effects upon the ear vessels 

 and pupil of the corresponding side, stimula- 

 tion of the left cervical sympathetic caused no 

 changes whatever in the left pupil or in the 

 vessels of the left ear. 



During the last twelve months of the rab- 

 bit's life, the dilation of the left pupil never 

 attained the same degree as during the earlier 

 period. Further, an intramuscular injection 

 of adrenalin, which in the early period caused 

 dilation of the pupil within two or three min- 

 utes, lately developed its effect very slowly. 

 Finally the constricting effect of eserin was 

 only partly overcome by an injection or instil- 

 lation of adrenalin, whereas in the early period 

 the effect of eserin was completely overcome by 

 adrenalin. 



Within the last ten months the right pupil 

 was permanently distinctly larger than normal 

 and responded sluggishly to light. An injec- 

 tion of adrenalin caused a distin<;t constric- 

 fjon, which lasted about fifteen minutes. After 

 the above-mentioned stimulation of the cer- 

 vical sympathetics, the permanent dilation of 

 the right pupil disappeared for about five 

 weeTcs and an injection of adrenalin had no 

 effect upon the pupil. 



