The effect on the involuntary nervous system of arsenicals and the salvarsan group.

Abstract

I.

Investigations on the effect of nonspecific therapeutic agents by one of us (E. M.) have shown that these all become effective through their action on the involuntary nervous system. These findings were mainly obtained from observations of intradermal injections of Aolan, a nonspecific lact albumin preparation. After these injections were administered intradermally, an acute leucopenia of the peripheric vessels becomes evident for approximately half an hour. Extensive studies on intradermal injections led to the explanation of these phenomena. Every acute decrease of leucocytes in the peripheric vessels corresponds with an increase of leucocytes, more particularly of the neutrophile polynuclear type, in the vessels of the splanchnic area. This acute displacement of leucocytes is a manifestation which shows that there is a stimulus operating upon the parasympathetic portion of the vegetative nervous system. The cause of this stimulus may originate in different organs. The result, especially in the described acute leucopenia—possibly there are also other secondary results, as yet unknown to us—is a vasodilation in the visceral region. It is assumed from earlier experiments that this vasodilation in turn causes an increase in leucocytes in the distended vascular region and a corresponding impoverishment, or leucopenia in the peripheric blood.

II.

Further studies upon a similar acute leucopenia observed immediatelly after intravenous injections of salvarsan and neosalvarsan in man became possible in connection with the above findings which revealed that such a decrease is always a result of a stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system.

The first observations along these lines have shown that following every injection of salvarsan in a human being there is a decrease in the leucocyte count; this decrease as a rule does not exceed 1/3 the original count and does not persist longer than 10 minutes.