13 
the alcohol was slowly increased from 5 or 10 per cent to 40 or 50 per 
cent. By carefully observing the weight of the mice and not increasing 
the strength of the alcohol too rapidly, it was possible to keep the 
animals for months on this diet without any material loss of weight. 
The acetonitrile was injected subcutaneously in aqueous solution. 
White mouse . — Food consisted of oats covered with alcohol; the 
strength of the alcohol was gradually increased. 
Date. 
Weight of 
mouse. 
Remarks. 
July 22, 1904 
Grams. 
17 
5 per cent alcohol. 
10 per cent alcohol 
15 per cent alcohol. 
20 per cent alcohol. 
25 per cent alcohol. 
30 per cent alcohol. 
35 per cent alcohol. 
3.99 milligrams acetonitrile (=0.23 milligram 
per gram) injected subcutaneously. Died 
in 2 hours. 
July 3 1', 1904 
August 6, 1904 
August 12, 1904 
16.6 
16.7 
August 19, 1904 
August 24, 1904 
September 1, 1904 
16.61 
17.36 
November 3, 1904 
Another mouse in this series died from 0.22 milligram per gram 
bod}^ weight; while another recovered from 0.18 milligram per gram. 
With a fourth one the alcohol was increased to 45 per cent ; on Decem- 
ber 24 it died from 0.25 milligram per gram. The weight of this 
mouse had increased during the alcohol period from 12 to 17.05 
grams. 
Control experiments to the above gave the following results : In one 
experiment the weight of the mouse had increased from 18.4 to 19.55 
grams; it recovered from 0.36 milligram acetonitrile per gram. 
Another mouse, the weight of which had decreased from 18.05 to 17.72 
grams, recovered from 0.38 milligram acetonitrile per gram body 
weight. A third one recovered from 0.39, a fourth one from 0.42, 
while a fifth one died from 0.4 milligram per gram. 
Thus in this series the mice which had received alcohol died from 
about one-half the amount of acetonitrile as did those which had not 
received alcohol. 
In another series the alcohol was increased more rapidly; the mice 
decreased a little in weight. Thus, for example: 
Date. 
Weight of 
mouse. 
Remarks. 
May 17, 1904 
Grams. 
21.51 
20 per cent alcohol. 
May 23 ' 1904 
19.54 
June 27, 1904 
20. 15 
June 28, 1904 
30 per cent alcohol. 
July 5, 1904 
18.38 
July 6, 1904 
i 3.68 milligrams acetonitrile (=0.2 milligram 
j per gram body weight). Died in 1 hour. 
