10 
Ghemically the nitriles are chiefly characterized by their ability to 
unite with water, with the formation of corresponding organic acids 
and ammonia. In fact, this is one of the most usual methods of pre- 
paring many organic acids in the laboratory. Acetonitrile, for 
^ example, reacts with water in the presence of an alkali or acid, forming 
acetic acid and ammonia: 
CH3GX + 2H2O = GH3GOOH + XH3. 
Giacosa, one of the earliest experimenters on this subject, thought 
that a similar reaction occurred in the animal body. He based this 
belief upon the fact that the urine of animals, poisoned with acetoni- 
trile, gives a red color with ferric chloride. It was soon foimd, how- 
ever, that the substance giving this color was not acetic acid, but sul- 
phocyanic acid — HGXS.® It was also found that hydrocyanic acid, 
when administered to animals, reappeared iu part in the uriue as 
sulphocyanic acid. This observation led to the interestiug experi- 
ments on the antidotal action of certain sulphur compounds toward 
hydrocyanic acid, and to the suggestion of a form of treatment of 
hydrocyanic acid poisoning, which would probably be the best yet 
proposed, if it could be given promptly enough. 
The discovery of sulphocyanic acid in the urine after the adminis- 
tration of acetonitrile (and some other nitriles) was the beginning of 
our real pharmacological knowledge of acetonitrile. It showed that 
the changes undergone by this substance in the body are, in some 
respects at least, entirely different from those which take place in 
,the test tube; in vitro, acetic acid is formed; in the organism hydro- 
cyanic acid is produced, and this subsequently unites with sulphiu* to 
^ form sulphocyanic acid. The poisonous effects of acetonitrile are 
thus attributed to the slow formation of hydrocyanic acid. The 
; methyl group of acetonitrile appears in the urine as formic acid. The 
process bv which hvdrocvanic acid is formed from acetonitrile does 
not seem to have been discussed by former ^vriters. The most natural 
supposition would be that there is a simple hydrolysis of the acetoni- 
aThe literature on the pharmacology of aceto- and other nitriles can be found by 
consulting the following ; 
Pelikan, Beitrage zur gericht. Med., Toxikol. und PharmacodAmamik, Wurzburg, 
1858, p. 93. 
Giacosa, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., v. 8, p.llO; 1883-1884 . 
Lang, Arch. exp. Path, und Pharmakol., v. 34, p. 247 ; 1894. 
Hejunans und Masoin, Arch. int. de Pharmacodynamie, v. 3, pp. 77, 359; v. 7, p. 297 ; 
V. 8, p. 1; Joum. of Physiol., v. 23, suppl. p. 23. 
Yerbrngge, Arch. int. de Pharmacod^Tiamie, v. 5, p. 161; 1899. 
Meurice, ibid., v. 7, p. 11; 1900. 
Piquet, ibid., v. 7, p. 307; 1900. 
Hunt, ibid., v. 12, p. 447; 1904^ Journal of Biolog. Chem., v. 1, p. 33, 1905. 
Brissemort, C. R. Soc. Biol., y. 60, p. 54; 1906, 
