134 



Scientific Proceedings (34). 



71 (409) 



The comparative toxicity of ethyl and amyl alcohol and 

 their effect on blood pressure.' 



By WILLIAM SAL ANT. 



[^From the Pharmacological Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. 

 Dept. of Agriculture^ 

 The experiments were carried out on frogs, rabbits, cats and 

 dogs. The alcohols were administered in various concentrations 

 and were given by mouth, injected subcutaneously, or into the 

 peritoneal cavity. The toxicity of amyl alcohol was in all cases 

 much greater than that of ethyl alcohol. The difference in the 

 toxicity of ethyl and amyl alcohol was even more marked in suba- 

 cute intoxication. The experiments on frogs showed that the 

 minimum fatal toxic dose of amyl alcohol is from one eighth to one 

 seventh that of ethyl alcohol, while the toxic dose of amyl alcohol 

 for the rabbit is only about one fourth to one half that of ethyl 

 alcohol. 



The effect of ethyl and amyl alcohol on blood pressure. — The 

 experiments were carried out with 2 per cent, solutions on 

 healthy dogs 8 to 10 kilos in weight, and on cats. Morphine- 

 ether narcosis was employed for the dogs, and ether alone for cats. 

 Injections were made from a burette into the femoral vein. The 

 fall of blood pressure after amyl alcohol was introduced, was con- 

 siderably greater than that after the introduction of the same quantity 

 of ethyl alcohol. In some experiments, the injection of i 5 c.c. of 

 2 per cent, amyl alcohol in thirty two seconds caused a fall of blood 

 pressure of 80 millimeters of mercury, while the same amount of 

 ethyl alcohol injected in four seconds was followed by a fall of 

 blood pressure, amounting only to 20 millimeters of mercury. In 

 other experiments in which from 25 to 50 c.c. of 2 per cent, ethyl 

 alcohol caused little noticeable change or only a slight fall of blood 

 pressure, after the injection of the same quantities of amyl alcohol, 

 the maximum fall of blood pressure amounted to 40 and 95 milli- 

 meters of mercury. The recovery was also much slower in all 

 cases after amyl alcohol and was much more gradual than the fall of 

 blood pressure. Experiments with from 3 to 1 1 c.c. of 2 per cent. 



* Published by permission of the secretary. 



