Sw eee 
a 
Asiatic Society of Bengal. ev 
of the tissues in which they acted; thus to kill Paramecium 
caudatum quinine in 1 in 1000 solution is effective at a P,, 
of 8, but at a P, of 7 a 1 in 100 solution is needed. () 
Their diffusibility through cell membranes. Hence such factors 
as variations in the hydrogen ion concentration in the tissues 
where they acted, their optical activity, the conditions present 
in the substrate around them and their diffusibility, governed 
the mode of action of such drugs and were factors in their 
selective action, At present and in our present-day pharmaco- 
peeia it could be well said that cures were purely chance phenom- 
ena; we needed much more detailed investigation and 
biochemical knowledge. Turning to the other side of the 
problem, the invading parasites might die from starvation as 
the drug might render the tissues unpalatable to them; the 
drug might so retard the rate of multiplication of the parasites 
as to reduce them below the pathogenic threshold ; and, should 
the site of most intensive multiplication of the parasites coin- 
cide both with that of greatest concentration of the drug and 
With its optimum P,, of activity, the rate of cure would be 
maximal. All these points may well come to dominate the 
pharmacology of the future. : 
In the discussion on Major Acton’s paper Professor C. V. 
Raman dwelt upon the new vistas held forth by the combina- 
tion of the chemist, the physiologist and the biochemist who 
had hitherto been strangers to one another, but were now 
commencing to work in team work, with results of incalculable 
benefit. Dr. Panchanan Neogi, Major T. C. Boyd, 1.MS., 
Major R. N. Chopra, I.MS., and Major R. Knowles, I.M.S. 
took part, whilst Dr.- Brahmachari drew attention to the 
Ledittgens connected with the biochemical action of the anes- 
heties. 
——_—>— 
4 
DECEMBER, 1922. 
A meeting of the Medical Section of the Society was held 
on Wednesday, the 13th December, 1922. 
Dr. Upendranath Brahmachari, Rai Bahadur, M.A., M.D., 
Ph.D., F.A.S.B., in the chair. 
Members : PRESEN’. 
Acton, Major H. W., I.M.S. Chatterjee, Dr. K. K. 
Bal, Dr. S. N. Knowles, Major R., I.M.S 
Bose, Dr. S. R. 
Chopra, Major R. N., I.M.S. 
Visitors ; 32, ineluding— 
Neogi, Dr. P. 
Megaw, Lt.-Col. J. W. D., 1.M.S. 
Thomas, Mr. R.W. 
