Abstract
Meltzer and Auer in 1905 reported that subcutaneous or intravenous injections of magnesium sulphate would completely anesthetize animals, and that they could be instantly and completely aroused from this anesthesia by intravenous injections of CaCl2 but not by SrCl2. They made no mention of the effects of the monovalent cations. In this series of experiments we have anesthetized rabbits intravenously with m/6 MgSO4 (5.5 to 11.6 cc. per kg.) solution. The controls recover equilibrium and voluntary movements in 7 to 12 minutes. Eleven rabbits completely anesthetized with MgSO4 recovered equilibrium and power of voluntary movement in from 30 seconds to 2 minutes when injected with a mixture of 9 volumes m/6 NaCl + 1 volume m/6 KCl; and 2 rabbits recovered in 30 seconds and 11/4 minutes respectively after receiving 20 cc. m/30 KCl alone. Two rabbits which received 20 and 25 cc. m/30 RbCl recovered in 1 minute and 13/4 minutes respectively. Rabbits also recovered when NaCl alone was used, but much larger amounts (30-40 cc. m/3 NaCl) had to be used, and the recovery obtained in 11/4 to 2 minutes was less complete than with potassium or rubidium for though the animals would sit up, they did not regain the use of their hind legs for quite a time after the injection. With 2 animals in which lithium chloride was used, the results were doubtful, one recovering equilibrium in 4 minutes after receiving 40 cc. LiCl m/6, the other only reacted to prodding after 6 minutes, in spite of receiving 20 cc. LiCl. Ammonium chloride, with and without sodium chloride, killed 3 animals with convulsions without any sign of their regaining consciousness.
From these experiments it is obvious that sodium potassium and rubidium ions antagonize the narcotic effects of Mg ions, in accordance with their position in the Hofmeister scale, and their effects upon surface tension and emulsions.
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