SCIENTIFIC PROCEEDINGS 



Abstracts of Communications. 



One hundred twelfth meeting. 



College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, January 19, 

 1 92 1. President Calkins in the chair. 



46 (1628) 



Comparative study of ethanol, caffeine and nicotine on behavior 



of albino rats. 



By D. L MACHT and WM. BLOOM. 



[Pharmacological Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, 

 Baltimore, Md.] 



The effects of ethanol, caffeine and nicotine tartrate were 

 studied on albino rats in the circular maze. The rats were first 

 trained to solve the maze problem perfectly, that is to find their 

 way to the center of the maze by the shortest route, without mak- 

 ing any errors and in the shortest period of time. They were then 

 injected subcutaneously or intraperitoneally respectively with 

 solutions of the above drugs, and the effects of the drugs on 

 behavior were noted. Controls were made by injecting rats with 

 solutions of sodium chloride and with distilled water. No im- 

 provement in the running time of the animals was noted after 

 small doses of the drugs. All of the drugs when given in sufficient 

 quantity produced depression of the animals, as manifested by 

 slower movements, neuromuscular incoordination, loss of memory- 

 habit, and number of errors committed. It was found that the 

 smallest dose of caffeine required to produce depression, that is to 

 impair the efficiency of the rats' behavior in the maze, was 10 

 mgs. for a rat weighing on an average 150 grams. The smallest 

 dose of nicotine tartrate to produce depression was 0.02 mg. 

 (equivalent to 0.007 m gs. of nicotine). The smallest dose of 



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