Effect of Lead Salts upon the Intestines. 215 



From this it would seem that the reaction of the anaphylactic 

 uterus while still supplied with normal nerve and blood elements 

 is different from its reaction when isolated from the rest of the 

 body. 



131 (1063) 



Effect of lead salts and of the nitrites upon the movements 

 of the intestines. 



By A. D. Hirschfelder, J. M. Arnson, R. Houde, G. M. 

 Merkert and M. J. Shapiro. 



[From the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Minnesota.} 



Riegel (1875) and J. Pal (Die Gefasskrisen, 1906) suggested 

 the use of amylnitrite for the control of pain in lead colic and in 

 the gastric crises of tabes dorsalis, believing that the fall of blood 

 pressure sufficed to bring about diminution in these symptoms. 



The present series of experiments was undertaken in order to 

 determine whether the nitrites might not act by causing relaxation 

 of a spastic condition of the intestinal walls. The experiments 

 were carried out on rabbits whose intestinal movements were ob- 

 served through a large window in the abdominal wall, which was 

 closed from the outside air by inserting a crystallizing dish 10 cm. 

 in diameter. The sides of the crystallizing dish were coated with 

 thick beeswax and the window was held in place by fixing the 

 abdominal walls around it with a purse string suture. The ani- 

 mals were lightly anaesthetized with ether. 



Injection of 5 mg. lead acetate per kg. immediately caused the 

 onset of intense peristaltic movements which seemed to be due 

 to stimulation of the preganglionic synapse, since they were 

 abolished by injection of nicotin or by painting nicotin upon the 

 intestine, but were not affected by extirpation of the spinal cord 

 and section of the vagi. As was suspected from the clinical re- 

 sults reported by Riegal and Pal, this peristalsis could be in- 

 hibited by inhalation of amylnitrite, by placing two drops of 

 nitroglycerin upon the tongue or by the injection of 80-100 mg. 

 per kg. sodium nitrite. The effects of the two former drugs were 

 most marked, though the effects of the latter were more prolonged. 



