“Anesthesia produced by magnesium salts,” a preliminary communication,with demonstrations

Abstract

The authors exhibited to the society two guinea-pigs, which were deeply narcotized by injections of magnesium sulfate. One of these animals had been similarly narcotized twice before, and fully recovered each time. In their physiological and toxicological studies of magnesium salts, the authors found that by subcutaneous injections of certain quantities of sulfate or chlorid of magnesium, animals can be brought into a state of deep anesthesia, during which any operation can be performed upon them without the least resistance. If the dose of the salts is not too large, heartbeat, blood-pressure and respiration remain nearly normal. It was tested on dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea-pigs, white rats and frogs. A gram and a half of magnesium sulfate is about the effective dose for most of the animals. The chlorid has to be used in smaller doses in proportion to its smaller molecular weight. Particulars will be reported later. The authors emphasized the fact that these salts are very poisonous when certain maximum doses are exceeded.