CHLOEAL 315 



PropeWtes.— Separate, rliomboidal, colorless and trans- 

 parent crystals, having an aromatic, penetrating and slightly 

 acrid odor, and a bitterish, caustic taste. Slowly volatilized 

 when exposed to the air. Freely soluble in water, alcohol 

 or ether ; also in chloroform, benzol, benzin, carbon disul- 

 phide, fixed and volatile oils. It liquifies when triturated 

 with about an equal quantity of camphor, menthol, thymol 

 or carbolic acid. Chloral is decomposed by caustic alkalies, 

 alkaline earths and ammonia, chloroform being formed, and 

 a formate of the base produced. 



Dose.—B.. & C, I i.-ii. (30.-60.); Sh. & Sw., 3 i.-ii. (4.-8.); 

 D., gr.v.-xx. (.3-1.3). 



Action External. — Chloral is a strong irritant applied 

 locally in concentration to the skin and mucous membranes, 

 and if injected under the skin may cause abscess and 

 sloughing. It is a powerful antiseptic, and relieves itching, 

 especially in combination with camphor. 



Action Internal. — Alimentary Canal. — Chloral produces 

 severe irritation of the mucous membrane in concentrated 

 solution (20 per cent, or over), and large doses may cause 

 vomiting in dogs. The writer has seen intense glossitis and 

 stomatitis follow the breaking of a gelatine capsule, contain- 

 ing chloral, in the mouth of a horse. 



Blood. — Chloral is absorbed into the blood unchanged. 

 It was formerly thought that the action of chloral was due 

 to chloroform produced by the decomposition of the former 

 •in the alkaline blood. C,H CI3O + KH0 = CHCl3-f- 

 K C H O2 (formic acid). 



It is now known that the blood is not sufficiently alka- 

 line to decompose chloral, and that chloroform is not found 

 in the blood, tissues or excretions, except in the case of the 

 urine, when it is strongly alkaline. Moreover, chloral acts 

 as usual upon a frog when the blood of the batrachian is 

 replaced by a neutral saline solution. 



Heart and Blood Vessels. — Chloral in large doses depres- 

 ses the action of the heart muscle, its contained ganglia, and 

 the vasomotor centres. It also produces local paralysis of 

 the vascular walls. Blood pressure is therefore lowered. 



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