Abstract
Bancroft1, 2, 3 and his collaborators have recently resurrected the old theory of Claude Bernard that narcotic and anesthetic drugs act by causing aggregation of the protein micelles in the cytoplasm. They correctly claim that if this is the correct theory the dispersing ions of the Hofmeister lyotropic series should antagonize this action. They have therefore administered NaSCN intravenously to rabbits and claim to have partly antagonized thereby the effects of morphine sulphate, ether, and sodium amytal. Their experimental series consisted of one treated rabbit and one control in each group. Disregarding entirely the well known variability of individual animals they have published very far reaching claims for the therapeutic efficacy of sodium thiocyanate (sodium rhodanate) for the treatment of morphine addiction, various forms of insanity and even general nervousness. Henderson 4 and Burkholder 5 independently repeated Bancroft's experiments on larger series of animals and were unable to confirm his results.
As the method described by Hirschfelder and Ridges 6 afforded us a very delicate technique for testing and following the course of analgesia and narcosis we have used it in repeating Bancroft's experiments on a larger series of rabbits.∗
Morphine Sulphate. Twenty-four rabbits were given doses of 25 to 50 mg. morphine sulphate per kilo subcutaneously. Three animals were given 150 to 500 mg. sodium rhodanate per kilo intravenously 5 to 10 minutes before the morphine, 11 animals received the same dose 20 to 30 minutes after the morphine. Ten controls received the same doses of morphine sulphate as the treated animals. Narcosis, i. e., the period during which the animals remained lying on their sides when placed in that position was a little longer in the rhodanate animals than in the controls, as was the time necessary before they recommenced coordinated movements, and also the time necessary for complete recovery.
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