413 
Certain Physical and Physiological Properties of Stovaine and 
its Homologues. 
By V. H. VELry, F.R.S., and W. L. SyMEs. 
(Received December 10, 1910,—Read February 9, 1911.) 
(From the Physiological Laboratory of the University of London.) 
CONTENTS. 
PAGE 
He MNCL OMUCEIOWM wc sotasn'<assiene sodas sseesinven’ evs versie sssacinate 413 
MEP ee EY SICAL TE TOPENLICS. cacawcasisbescsscnccesiavcnasessecsssinsisice 414 
[I1.— Physiological. Properties .........ssescescsssovseronresess 416 
(A) Effect on Isolated Muscle ...........cscsceevevees 416 
(B) Effect on Respiration and on Circulation...... 417 
I. INTRODUCTION. 
The amino-alcohols of the general type (OH)CCHs;RCH2N(CHs3). were 
originally obtained by Fourneau* by the reaction between the secondary or 
tertiary amines and the corresponding chlorhydrins (OH)CCH3;RCH,Cl 
(R representing any hydrocarbon grouping). Their salts do not crystallise 
well, but if the hydrogen of the hydroxyl grouping be replaced by benzoyl, 
the derived salts, especially the hydrochlorides, can be obtained in a pure 
crystalline condition. Such salts produce local anesthesia, the ethyl deriva-_ 
tive, OBzC.CH3.C,H;CH2N(CH3)2HCl, or stovaine, being especially used in 
surgical practice. In a former communication by Veley and Waller,} the 
activities of stovaine, its methyl homologue, and cocaine were compared as 
regards their effect on the contractility of isolated muscle; it was shown that 
the toxic effects of the three drugs were all equal within the limits of 
experimental error, but the variation of effect by altering the concentration 
was rather less than that to be expected. 
A few months later, Gros,t using a different method of excitation, namely, 
tetanic, obtained similar results as regards the equal activity of cocaine and 
stovaine, though the concentrations in the two cases were widely different, 
namely, 7/500 to x/1000 (Veley and Waller) and n/12°5 (Gros). 
M. Fourneau recently sent to the former of us fine crystalline samples of 
stovaine and its homologues for the purpose of investigation ; we desire to 
express our appreciation of his kindness and international courtesy. 
* “Comptes Rendus,’ 1904, vol. 138, p. 766. 
+ ‘Roy. Soc. Proc.,’ B, 1910, vol. 82, p. 147. 
t ‘Archiv f. Exp. Pathol. u. Pharmakol.,’ Leipzig, 1910, vol. 62, p. 380. 
VOL. LXXXIII.—B. is 
