Abstract
Sodium amytal (sodium isoamylethyl barbiturate) was introduced by Page 1 as an anesthetic without influence on blood sugar. He has been supported in this claim by competent observers 2 although Weiss and others 3 disagree with him. It has been stated by some physiologists that unless an animal was under sodium amytal anesthesia, blood sugar figures could not be accepted as being uninfluenced by the emotional state of the animal.
In this connection it is interesting to note the effect of amytal anesthesia on the hyperglycemia induced in dogs by morphine sulphate. In Table I are given blood sugar figures on 7 dogs. Two series of blood sugar determinations, several days apart, were made on each animal; first, following the injection of morphine sulphate alone and secondly, following morphine injection with the animal under amytal anesthesia. The dogs varied in weight from 7 to 18 kilograms. They were on a routine diet and were last fed 14 to 18 hours before the beginning of the experiment. The dose of morphine sulphate was 10 mgm. per kilo body weight given subcutaneously and the dose of sodium amytal was 50 mgm. per kilo intraperitoneally. Blood samples were taken from a vein on the hind leg and sugar determinations were made by the method of Hagedorn. 4
The results indicate that sodium amytal anesthesia in dogs has a marked inhibiting effect on the hyperglycemia due to morphine.
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