TOXICITY OF STRYCHNINE TO THE RAT. 



11 



that from 20 to 25 milligrams of strychnine alkaloid or its equivalent 

 in the alkaloidal salt is required to insure a large percentage of 

 fatalities. 



Taki.i 5. -Toxicity of strychnine sulphate administered in solution by stomach 

 tube to lightly anaesthetized rats. 



Number of rats. 



Kind. 



Weight. 



Strychnine 



sulphate 

 solution. 



Dose 

 received, 

 per kilo. 



Sur\i- 

 vals. 



Fatal- Mortal- 

 ities, ity. 



13 



Wild 



Wild 



■Wild 



Wild 



Wild 



Grams. 



120 to 406 

 66 to 362 

 60 to 334 

 46 1o 370 



148 to 220 



Per cent. 



0.1 to 1.0 



1.0 to 1.0 



.5 to 1.0 



.5 to 1.0 



1.0 



Milligrams. 

 2. 8 to 6. 

 10.0 

 15.0 

 20.0 

 25.0 



13 

 9 

 4 

 3 

 1 





 5 

 9 

 10 

 3 



Per 



cent. 

 



14 - 



13 



13 



4 



35 

 69 

 77 

 75 



Table 6. — Toxicity of strychnine {alkaloid) administered by stomach tube to 

 lightly anaesthetized rats as 1 per cent suspension in starch paste. 





Kind. 



Weight. 



Dose received. 



Survi- 

 vals. 



Fatal- 

 ities. 





Number of rats. 



Strychnine 

 alkaloid, 

 per kilo. 



Calculated 

 as strych- 

 nine sul- 

 phate, per 

 kilo. 



Mortal- 

 ity. 



26 



Wild 



White 



White 



Wild 



Wild 



Wild 



Grams. 

 110 to 404 

 132 to 205 

 172 to 208 

 84 to 385 

 62 to 360 

 160 to 473 



Milligrams. 



7. 5 to 12. 

 10.0 

 15.0 

 15.0 

 20.0 

 25.0 



MUUi/rams. 



9. 6 to 15. 4 

 12.8 

 19.2 

 19.2 

 25.6 

 32.0 



11 

 3 



1 

 3 

 1 

 



15 

 1 

 4 

 15 

 14 

 9 



Per 



cent. 

 58 



4 



25 



5 



80 



18 



15 



9 



83 

 93 



100 



TOXICITY OF DIATOMACEOUS EARTH PREPARATIONS OF STRYCHNINE. 



The results of the administration by stomach tube of strychnine 

 sulphate combined with cliatomaceous earth (so-called tasteless prepa- 

 ration of st^chnine) appear in Table 7. In this adsorbed form 

 and concentration the toxicity of strychnine was reduced more than 

 50 per cent. 9 Since the alkaloid in this combination is not known 

 to be liberated in an acid medium, it probably was not liberated in 

 the stomach. Obviously diatomaceous earth would be an imperfect 

 antidote for strychnine poisoning on account of the uncertainty of 

 its opportunity to become attached to previously ingested strychnine, 

 as well as the uncertain stability of the substance when formed. 



9 These results were obtained with preparations containing from G to 8 per cent of 

 strychnine sulphate. It is possible,, however, that much larger quantities of strychnine 

 could be placed in preparations of this type, with no practical effect upon their palata- 

 bility, but with an increase in the potency of the strychnine actually present. This 

 possibility may be explained by the supposition that the ease of liberation of the strych- 

 nine in the beginning is greater when large amounts of strychnine are piresent. 



