Cardiac Insufficiency. 



3 



stituting its constricting action upon the blood vessels for the lack 

 of vascular tone, and, as has been often observed clinically, will 

 materially improve the existing pulmonary edema, while in the 

 second instance, it would but aggravate the condition. 



Although my observations are too few to base any general 

 conclusions upon, I think they suggest that artificial respiration 

 may be profitably tried in some cases of right heart failure, due to 

 increased peripheral resistance, as soon as the mechanics of 

 administering air can be perfected so as to avoid intubation or 

 tracheotomy. And in this regard I may say that I have found 

 that a person who is conscious can readily be supplied with air by 

 artificial respiration by the use of an ordinary ether inhalation 

 mask of the Bennett or Clover type. Whether this method will 

 prove possible, in unconscious states or where there is general 

 relaxation, as under anesthesia, I cannot say, but I think it is 

 quite possible. 



2 (2 5 8) 



Effect of potassium cyanide upon metabolism. 



By GEORGE B. WALLACE and A. N. RICHARDS. 



\From the Laboratory of Pharmacology of Columbia University, at 

 the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York.] 



Potassium cyanide was administered to two dogs in amounts 

 sufficient to produce severe poisoning. One animal was kept upon 

 a uniform, analyzed diet throughout the experiment (9 days) and 

 the other was given no food during the experiment (5 days). In 

 both animals an increase in the total nitrogen of the urine occurred 

 on the day of poisoning which continued during the next following 

 day. This increase was caused mainly by an increase in the 

 amount of urea and by slight increase in the amounts of ammonia, 

 total creatinin (sum of creatin and creatinin) and undetermined 

 nitrogen (purin bases, uric acid, allantoin, amino-acids etc.). Neither 

 experiment gave indication of marked percentage increase either 

 of ammonia or of undetermined nitrogen, for the distribution of the 

 nitrogen remained practically normal. Well marked absolute 

 and percentage increase of creatin, and decrease of creatinin, was 

 observed. Creatin was eliminated by the fasting dog throughout 

 the whole period of observation. 



