26 



Scientific Proceedings (86). 



tained from the latter, but not from the former. Further dif- 

 ferences between the two forms were found on heating (decom- 

 position temperatures), in the reaction with nitrous acid (van 

 Slyke method for amino-nitrogen), and toward bromine. 



124 (1302) 



On the absorption of apomorphin and morphin through unusual 



channels. 



By David I. Macht (by invitation). 



[From the Pharmacological Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University 

 and the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Baltimore.] 



The alkaloid apomorphin is well known as a typical centrally 

 acting emetic, producing vomiting by the direct stimulation of 

 the vomiting center. In case of dogs, as is also well known, mor- 

 phin is found to produce emesis almost equally well. The author 

 has taken advantage of these facts in the study of absorption of 

 drugs through various unusual portals of entry. 



On introducing a few milligrams of apomorphin in the form 

 of powder or on instilling a few drops of a solution of 1 per cent, 

 of that drug into the conjunctival sac, vomiting was found to be 

 produced generally in from three to five minutes. Exactly the 

 same phenomenon was observed after the administration of small 

 quantities of morphin. These experiments indicate that the above 

 drugs are easily absorbed through the eye into the general system. 

 That this absorption is in part, at least, due to direct entry into 

 blood and lymph channels and is not a result of an indirect 

 absorption through the nasal ducts, was proven by obstructing 

 the latter canal. This was done in two ways: in some cases the 

 nasal duct was ligated and in the other cases it was occluded by 

 cauterization. Even after obstruction of the nasal duct, apo- 

 morphin and morphin were found to produce emesis, though the 

 process required a longer time. 



In a similar manner apomorphin and morphin, when intro- 

 duced into the vagina of dogs, can be shown to promptly induce 

 vomiting, thus demonstrating their absorption through the vaginal 

 wall. 



