Some Effects of Sodium Benzoate. 



125 



was able to ingest 1,000 c.c. of apple juice containing 0.5 percent, 

 of sodium benzoate, without any albuminuria arising. The amount 

 of hippuric acid in the urine was very large for the first few hours. 

 The secretion of urine was very much reduced for twelve hours, 

 while I suffered from some of the other symptoms above men- 

 tioned, altliough as a subject in a former investigatmi I ingested 

 as much as 6 grams per day, for three successive days, in milk on 

 a full stomach, tvithout the slightest discomfort. 



Small doses of sodium benzoate given with acid substances 

 to patients with albuminuria aggravated this condition and caused 

 alarming symptoms, classical of nephritis — for six days there- 

 after in one subject. 



Experiments on dogs. First experiment. — One dog weigh- 

 i^^S 3-5 kilos fasted for twenty four hours and was then given 

 I gm. of sodium benzoate, decomposed with the theoretical 

 amount of hydrochloric acid to form sodium chloride and free 

 benzoic acid, with no excess of hydrochloric acid. In thirty 

 minutes the animal showed evidences of muscular weakness and 

 nausea, lay quietly and breathed in a laborious manner. This 

 continued for six hours. On the next day, twenty four hours 

 after the previous dose, the animal was given 4 gm. of sodium 

 benzoate with a sufficient amount of hydrochloric acid to de- 

 compose it into benzoic acid, plus 120 c.c. of 0.2 per cent, citric 

 acid. The animal became very weak in one hour, respirations 

 were reduced to nine per minute, and were very labored. Tonic 

 and clonic convulsions began one hour and fifteen minutes after 

 the dose was given. The animal, after several hard convulsions, 

 died two hours and twenty minutes after administration. 



The autopsy showed congestion of various organs. There was 

 very pronounced congestion of the kidneys, stomach and intestines, 

 with ulceration in places. The liver and lungs also showed evi- 

 dences of infarcts. 



Second experiment. — Two dogs had been fed on dog biscuits 

 and water for several weeks, and then fasted for thirty six hours. 



Animal No. i. — The first animal was a male, weighing 3.5 

 kilos. He was given a mixture of 3.5 gm. of sodium benzoate, 

 50 c.c. of water, 0.65 c.c. of concentrated hydrochloric acid (sp. 

 gr. 1. 19) and 100 c.c. of citric acid (0.2 per cent.). The animal 



