416 Dr. Veley and Mr. Symes. Certain Physical and ([Dec, 10, 
Fourneau’s view that the accumulation of acidic groupings around the 
amino-function destroys the basic character of the latter is confirmed by 
quantitative measurements, 
III. PHYSIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES. 
A. Contractility of Isolated Muscle. 
On dissolving in the usual manner in physiological tap-water saline 
solution, a turbidity resulted in the case of the salts of the higher mole- - 
cular weight; this was due to the precipitation of the base by the alkali of 
the water, as previous investigations have shown that, though these com- 
pounds are not hydrolysed by water, yet a trace of the order of 1 per 
10,000 of free alkali will cause separation of the base. But if such solutions 
are allowed to stand for some days, the turbidity slowly and almost com- 
pletely disappears except in the case of benzyl] stovaine. 
The records obtained for all the compounds were similar in type, the 
only features worthy of note being (1) that the end or abolition point was 
often not very well defined, and (2) that the variation caused by alteration 
of concentration was less marked than for most other drugs. 
The times required for abolition are collected together in the following 
table; in Column I the names of the compounds are given, in II, III 
and IV the concentrations in normality, and the same in percentage 
reckoned as base, and the times in minutes required for abolition. The 
temperature, unless otherwise stated, was 18 + 0°5°. 
Table II. 
it ores Meets III. | IV. 
n/1000. n[500. n/300. 
Compounds. he ieee 
Percentage.| Time. | Percentage.| Time Percentage.| Time. 
| mins. mins mins. 
| Methyl stovaine ...... 0 °022 238 °5 0-044, 18 0°077 == 
| SLOVAING! aia.cstess c6. 0 :024 23 °5 . 0°048 17 °5* 0 °081 6° 
; (at 21°) 
Amy] stovaine ......... 0 :028 — 0 056 24 0-093 9°0 
(at 21°) 
Pheny! stovaine ...... 0 -030 — 0 -060 24 0°100 11°0 
Benzyl stovaine ...... 0°031 — 0 062 —— 0 *104 12 °0 
(at 20°) 
Fourneau’s salt ...... 0 029 30 0 058 24 0 ‘097 11°5 
* Three determinations made at different times gave identical values. 
The general conclusion to be drawn from these results is that the substi 
tution of the ethyl grouping in stovaine by the amyl, phenyl, benzyl, and 
