102 



Scientific Proceedings (49). 



Controls. — Six rabbits received subcutaneously 0.45 mg. strych- 

 nin per kilogram body weight. All six had convulsions, with fatal 

 termination in three. Nine animals received 0.5 mg. per kilo; 

 all had convulsions, terminating fatally in four. In 15 controls, 

 then, a dose of 0.5 mg. strychnin or less per kilo body weight 

 brought on convulsions in every one and a fatal termination in 7; 

 in other words 0.5 mg. strychnin proved to be toxic in 100 per 

 cent, and fatal in 47 per cent. 



Strychnin diluted in 100 c.c. of normal saline. — Ten rabbits 

 received subcutaneously doses of strychnin varying between 0.7 

 and 0.84 mg. per kilo body weight diluted in 100 c.c. of 0.9 per 

 cent, sodium chlorid. Of these only two had convulsions, one of 

 which died. In other words, strychnin in great dilution is con- 

 siderably less toxic; doses which exceed the minimal fatal dose 

 proved to be toxic only in 20 per cent, and fatal in 10 per cent. 



Strychnin and saline injected in separate places. — In a series of 

 eleven rabbits each received subcutaneously 0.5 mg. strychnin per 

 kilo body weight at one point shortly after having been injected 

 with 100 c.c. of 0.9 per cent, sodium chlorid at another place. Of 

 these only three had convulsions and only one died. In other 

 words, when 100 c.c. of saline was injected in another part of the 

 body, a dose of 0.5 mg. per kilo of body weight, which in controls 

 proved toxic in 100 per cent, and fatal in 47 per cent., was toxic 

 only in 27 per cent, and fatal in 9 per cent. 



Strychnin subcutaneously and water given by mouth. — Eight 

 rabbits received 0.5 mg. strychnin per kilo body weight sub- 

 cutaneously shortly after 100 to 150 c.c. of water had been given 

 by mouth. Of these animals only two had convulsions and none 

 died, that is, in these cases 0.5 mg. strychnin proved to be toxic 

 only in 25 per cent, and caused no fatalities. Twelve animals 

 were given strychnin subcutaneously, in doses varying between 

 0.52 and 0.56 mg. per kilo body weight, receiving at the same time 

 100 c.c. of water by mouth. Of these animals four had convulsions 

 and none died. In other words even doses which definitely exceed 

 the sure toxic dose of 0.5 mg. per kilo, proved toxic only in 33 

 per cent, with no fatalities at all, when at the same time, a com- 

 paratively large quantity of water was given by mouth. 



These experiments seem to demonstrate conclusively that the 



