Influence of Tartrates on Isolated Heart. 179 



stannic salts failed to show any noteworthy difference. The effect 

 of concentration indicated marked differences both when injected 

 intravenously or subcutaneously. Thus 20 milligrams of tin 

 per kilo, injected intravenously, produced a moderate albuminuria 

 when the amount of tin per c.c. was 1.5 milligrams; much greater 

 amounts of albumin and large amounts of sugar when each c.c. 

 contain 8 milligrams of tin ; acute death when each c.c. contained 

 20 milligrams of tin. 



no (927) 



The influence of tartrates, citrates and oxalates on the isolated 



heart. 



By William Salant and Selig Hecht. 



[From the Pharmacological Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry, 

 Washington, D. C] 



Sodium tartrate and citrate in Locke's or in Ringer's solution or 

 in defibrinated blood perfused through the isolated heart of the 

 frog, dog and cat caused a decrease of cardiac activity which 

 became more marked with increased concentrations. The action 

 of the citrate was considerably greater than that of the tartrate, 

 the ratio being about 5 : 1 with weak solutions. The difference 

 Was even more marked when the action of more concentrated 

 solutions was compared, an iV/100 citrate was as active as N/10 

 tartrate, as observed on the frog's heart. The action of citrate 

 and oxalate was compared by its effects in calcium-free solutions 

 (Ringer and Locke minus calcium). The effect of citrate and 

 oxalate was found to be the same in some experiments but in 

 others the action of the oxalate was distinctly less toxic than that 

 that of the citrate. Since the solubility in water of calcium citrate 

 is twice as great as calcium tartrate, while calcium oxalate is 

 practically insoluble, it is apparent that the action of these salts 

 is not due to the precipitation of the calcium. Again since the 

 equimolecular solutions, calcium tartrate and calcium citrate, have 

 the same effect as CaCl 2 it would also indicate that a possible 

 decrease in ionization of the calcium in the tissues is not a factor 

 which determines the action of tartrate, citrate and oxalate on the 

 heart. 



