82 



Scientific Proceedings (hi). 



Injection of ecgonin-hydrochloride and benzoyl-ecgonin pro- 

 duced no effect on the behavior of the rats even when administered 

 in doses much larger than that of cocain. Injections of sodium 

 benzoate solution produced no effects. Neither was there any 

 depressant or stimulating effect noted after injections of small 

 doses of methyl alcohol solution (i per cent.). 



Various mixtures of ecgonin hydrochloride, benzoyl-ecgonin, 

 sodium benzoate and methyl alcohol in different proportions were 

 found to produce very little effect on the behavior of rats. As a 

 result of the various experiments it is therefore concluded firstly, 

 that cocain, as such, exerts a depressant action on the intelligent 

 behavior of albino rats, secondly, that in no cases even after 

 minute doses of the alkaloid was there a primary stimulation 

 noted and thirdly, that the various components into which the 

 cocain molecule can be split up, when injected individually or as a 

 simple mixture of each other, do not cause the same action as 

 their chemical combination in the form of cocain. The complete 

 data of this investigation will appear in the Archives Internationales 

 de Pharmacodynamic et de Therapie. 



38 (1620) 



Improved methods for staining spirochaeta pallida in tissue. 1 

 By Aldred S. Warthin and Allen C. Starry. 



[Ann Arbor j Michigan.] 



The two methods outlined here present the first satisfactory 

 ones devised for the staining of spirochetes in single sections of 

 tissue mounted upon cover-glasses. We consider them of great 

 value for the following reasons: They are more certain than the 

 Levaditi method of staining in bulk; the time required is shortened 

 to hours, instead of the days required by that method ; they have 

 a much greater applicability to practical diagnostic work in that 

 they can be used for single sections, thus permitting a closer 

 control of histological findings. 



1 Researches conducted under a grant from the Interdepartmental Social Hygiene 

 Board, Washington. 



