AMYLENE AS AN ANAESTHETIC. 
645 
unifications, instead of over the abdomen, the usual place 
chosen for these agents. 
It was by no means a severe attack, and other instances 
will be required to confirm the advantage to be derived from 
this deviation from the ordinary mode of practice, which is 
one, in our opinion, not without its objections. 
AMYLENE AS AN ANAESTHETIC. 
Our readers will doubtless remember, that in a previous 
number of our journal (p. 307-8), we directed their attention 
to the above anaesthetic, and ventured to question its ever 
being employed for the lower animals. From the following, 
it would appear we were right in the view then taken by us : 
({ A few months ago amylene was recommended as pre- 
ferable to ether and chloroform in producing stupefaction or 
anaesthesia, on the special ground that its employment was 
unattended with danger to the patient, or nearly so. MM. 
Foucher and Bonnet have, however, in a recent communica- 
tion, addressed to the Academy of Sciences, recorded facts 
leading to quite a contrary result. In twelve experiments 
performed on rabbits, they have ascertained that the anaes- 
thetic effect of amylene is produced within three and six 
minutes after its application. Before stupefaction is pro- 
duced, the animal utters piercing cries and throws its head 
backwards; its breathing is accelerated, the globe of the 
eye is strongly injected and moves convulsively : a tracheal 
hoarseness always accompanying the above symptoms. The 
period of insensibility does not last long if the application 
of amylene be not continued ; in the contrary case, however, 
a complete collapse takes place ; the animal, stretched out 
without motion, obeys every impulse of the hand, and re- 
sembles a flabby mass, in which breathing is hardly percep- 
tible. This state may last twenty minutes without causing 
death. The blood drawn from the arteries during this pe- 
riod still preserves its usual colour. Animals subjected to 
the action of amylene for a certain length of time continue 
after the operation in a state of stupor and imbecility, which 
sometimes lasts seven or eight hours ; but in none of the 
cases observed by the authors of the communication has 
death followed the application of amylene. The conclusions 
resulting from their experiments are as follow: — 1. Sul- 
phuric ether, chloroform, and amylene, are, of all volatile 
