NITRITE OF AMYL 



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exact ; and the striking benefits which are now 

 afforded by the use of this substance in most 

 (cardiac) diseases were made available to humanity." 



Or take Sir T. Lauder Brunton's account of the 

 action of nitrite of amyl in angina pectoris : — 



" The action of nitrite of amyl in causing flushing 

 was first observed by Guthrie, and Sir B. W. 

 Richardson recommended it as a remedy in spas- 

 modic conditions, from the power he thought it to 

 possess of paralysing motor nerves. In the spring 

 of 1867 I had opportunities of constantly observing 

 a patient who suffered from angina pectoris, and of 

 obtaining from him numerous sphygmographic 

 tracings, both during the attack and during the 

 interval. These showed that during the attack the 

 pulse became quicker, the blood-pressure rose, and 

 the arterioles contracted. ... It seemed probable 

 that the great rise in tension was the cause of the 

 pain, and it occurred to me that if it was possible to 

 diminish the tension by drugs instead of by bleeding, 

 the pain would be removed. 



" I knew from unpublished experiments on 

 animals by Dr A. Gamgee that nitrite of amyl had 

 this power, and therefore tried it on the patient. 

 My expectations were perfectly answered. The 

 pain usually disappeared in three-quarters of a 

 minute after the inhalation began, and at the same 

 time the pulse became slower and much fuller, and 

 the tension diminished." 



Of course it would be easy to lengthen out the 

 list. Aconite, belladonna, calcium chloride, col- 

 chicum, cocain, chloral, ergot, morphia, salicylic acid, 



