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INORGANIC AGENTS 



always be watched as carefully during chloroform as in 

 ether inhalation. 



l^ervous System. — Chloroform depresses the nervous 

 system as described under ether; that is, the cerebrum, sen- 

 sory and motor spinal tract, and sensory and motor centres 

 of the medulla. Chloroform, although generally following 

 the order noted, affects the nervous system more rapidly, 

 irregularly and persistently than ether, and therefore is more 

 dangerous. It occasionally happens that some of the reflexes 

 are abolished by chloroform before sensation has been an- 

 nulled, and irritation of a sensory nerve produced during 

 operation may reflexly stimulate the inhibitory centres (in- 

 stead of increasing vascular tension as in health), and so 

 cause heart failure. Operations should never be. performed, 

 therefore, under chloroform until complete ana;sthesia is se- 

 cured. TIhe nerves are not influenced by the constitutional 

 action of chloroform, although the latter is a local irritant 

 and ansesthetic to them. 



Temperature. — The temperature is reduced by the con- 

 tinual inhalation of chloroform through its depressing action 

 on the heat producing centres, and because heat loss is in- 

 creased by evaporation of chloroform from the lungs. ■ 



Antiseptic Action. — Chloroform prevents the growth of 

 micro-organisms, but does not influence that of the unorgan- 

 ized digestive ferments. Chloroform's antiseptic properties 

 may be utilized in preserving solutions for subcutaneous 

 injection. Saturated aqueous solutions are used for this 

 purpose. 



Metabolism. — Death occasionally follows chloroform- 

 ization from fatty degeneration of the heart, liver and kid- 

 neys. Chloroform apparently leads to imperfect oxidation 

 of nitrogenous bodies and to production of acid in the tis- 

 sues with the formation of acetone which is eliminated in 

 the breath and urine. Death occurs in coma in acetone pois- 

 oning from chloroform, as happens in diabetes mellitus. 



Elimination. — Chloroform is chiefly eliminated by the 

 lungs and slightly by the kidneys, but is also decomposed in 

 part in the body. 



Uses External. — Chloroform is employed in liniment to 

 relieve pain and produce counter-irritation in muscular rheu- 

 matism and strains. 



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