PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF AMIDOSULPHONCI ACID. 493 



amidosulphonate was introduced into the body that no safe con- 

 clusion as to its poisonous character can be inferred. Nencki had 

 observed that 0.6 gram of sodium carbamate per kilo of body 

 weight upon injection into the blood of a clog produces tetanical 

 convulsions and sometimes death, 0.3 gram per kilo will produce 

 somnolence 05 and catalepsy. As in the above first mentioned 

 case the relative amount of amidosulphonate was nearly the same, 

 it becomes evident that amiclosulphonic acid is not so noxious 

 to animals as the related carbamic acid. 



To summarise : 



Amiclosulphonic acid occupies an exceptional position among 

 the poisons : it is neither poisonous to higher or lower animals, 

 nor to fungi and algae, but it is poisonous to all kinds of phaeno- 

 gams. Although no poison for fungi it is not so favourable a 

 source of nitrogen for them as ammonium salts. 



(1) Carbamic acid continuously produced in the body, is rapidly transformed into 

 urea, nevertheless it may possibly exert some influence upon the causation of the normal 

 sleep. Cf. on this point also the interesting publication of Leo Errcra, Sur le Mecanisnie 

 du Sommeil, Bruxt llcs, 1895. 



