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IX !)!AXA VK\ VKR^ITX 



1. A Note on the Pharmacoi.ogical Action op Uranhim. 



By Dennis PjMERson Jackson, Assistant Professor of Physiology, in col- 

 laboration with Frank Oharlk.s Mann. 



Introduction. The various compounds of uranium have never 

 occupied a prominent place in the field of practical therapeutics. 

 The element possesses marked toxic properties, and but few scien- 

 tific suggestions have ever 'been made concerning the utilization of 

 iuiy of its pharmacological actions in the treatment of disease. 



A brief survey of the literature is sufficient to convince one 

 that the physiological actions of this substance have by no means 

 l3een completely determined. Perhaps the most complete and satis- 

 factory study of the physiological action of uranium which has 

 yet appeared was published in 1890 by Woroschilsky\ Valuable 

 work was also done by Chittenden^ and his collaborators in 1885-6. 

 Recently some attention has been given to uranium as a convenient 

 agent for the production of certain forms of experimental edema^. 



This article will deal with only three general phases of the 

 pharmacological action of this metal, viz., first, the action of the 

 substance on the secretion of lymph; second, its action on the cir- 

 culation and respiration ; and third, its action on the blood. 



If sodium uranate be added to a strong aqueous solution of 

 tartaric acid a soluble compound of uranium will be formed which 

 may be used for intravenous injections without precipitation of 

 the blood. It is usually necessary to add a small amount of sodium 

 hydrate in order to neutralize completely the tartaric acid after 

 the desired amount of sodium uranate has been added. It is, how- 

 ever, probably slightly more convenient to proceed as did Woro- 

 schilsky in making the double salt. Nearly all of the following ex 

 periments have been performed v/ith solutions made up after this 

 method. It consists in heating uranium nitrate in a crucible until 

 all the acid is driven off and the reddish-brown oxide (UOJ has 

 been formed. The oxide is then carefully weighed and from this 

 weight the percentage strength of the solution is calculated. The 

 oxide is placed in a small amount of distilled water, heated, and 

 small quantities of tartaric acid are added from time to time until 

 the oxide is dissolved. The slight excess of tartaric acid which is 

 usually found to be present is neutralized with sodium hydrate, 

 using phenolphthalein as an indicator. The solution is then diluted 



1 Woroschilsky, ArTyeiteu, des Pharmakologischen Institvts zu Dorpat, V, 

 (1890), 1. 



Chittenden, Studies from the Sheffield Scientific School, I. II, III, 1885-0. 

 3 Pearce, The Archives of Internal Medicine, .Tune, 1909. 



