326 INOEGANIC AGENTS 



Action Internal. — Alimentary CawaL:— Carbolic acid exerts 

 a localj anaesthetic action upon the sensorj nerve endings 

 in the stomach, and may act to a certain extent in the diges- 

 tive tract as an antiseptic, hindering abnormal fermentation, 

 but is, in this respect, inferior to creolin, napthol and nap- 

 thalin. It is probably converted into a sulpho-carbolate in 

 the stomach. In concentration, carbolic acid is a powerful 

 gastro-intestinal irritant. 



Blood. — Carbolic acid is absorbed into the blood and 

 probably circulates in part as an alkaline carbolate of 

 sodium and potassium. 



Heart and Blood Vessels. — Phenol, in poisonous doses, 

 paralyzes the vasomotor centre and later depresses the heart. 

 The effect upon the vessels is the raore important and promi- 

 nent, but neither action is observed after medicinal doses. 



Respiration. — Therapeutic doses do not influence the 

 respiratory functions, but toxic quantities make the respira- 

 tory movements rapid and shallow at first, owing to stimula- 

 tion of the respiratory centre and peripheral vagi, while 

 death occurs after lethal amounts from paralysis of the 

 respiratory centre. 



Nervous System. — ^hti brnin is depressed by toxic doses 

 of carbolic acid, and suapor and coma occur. The convul- 

 sions appearing in cjiibolic acid poisoning are due to pri- 

 mary stimulation of the spinal motor area, which is finally 

 depressed and paralyzed. When locally applied, carbolic 

 acid depresses and paralyzes the peripheral sensory nerves. 



Temper after e. — Carbolic acid, in medicinal doses, slightly 

 lowers temperature both in health and fever, but is not suffi- 

 ciently antipyretic to be suitable for such a purpose in prac- 

 tice. It depresses heat production and increases heat loss. 



Elimination. — Carbolic acid is eliminated by all ordinary 

 channels, but mainly by the kidneys. The urine becomes 

 dark colored — a very characteristic sign — even after large 

 medicinal doses. Phenol normally occurs in small quan- 

 tities in the urine of man and animals. Three grains have 

 been recovered from the urine passed in 24 hours bv a 



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