Abstract
The only note on the action of amytal upon the secretory response of the submaxillary gland to pilocarpine is that of Stavraky, 1 who observed that even after doses of amytal large enough to abolish the effects of stimulation of the chorda tympani and injections of acetyl choline the submaxillary gland still secreted vigorously in response to injections of pilocarpine.
My experiments deal with both the immediate and delayed effects of amytal upon the secretion of submaxillary saliva and of gastric juice induced by pilocarpine. Three dogs having permanent submaxillary fistulae were used. Observations were made upon 2 normally innervated glands (Dogs 22 and 457) and upon 2 glands after the chorda tympani nerves had been cut at the point where they separated from the lingual nerves (Dogs 22 and 205). One of the dogs also had a denervated gastric pouch which included the midportion of the greater curvature.
The pilocarpine (0.2, 0.4 and infrequently 0.6 mg. per kg.) was given intravenously to eliminate the factor of irregular absorption. With rare exceptions pilocarpine was not injected more frequently than once every 24 hours. Secretion began within 20 seconds after the injection. Collections were made every 5 minutes from the appearance of the first drop to the practical cessation of the secretion. Under these conditions the quantity of saliva secreted by individual animals on successive days followed curves of fairly constant form, height and duration, and there appeared to be no change in the sensitivity of the animals to pilocarpine after repeated injections. When the normal influence of pilocarpine upon the gland had been determined, amytal was administered either orally or intravenously as the sodium salt in doses of from 5 to 65 mg. per kg.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.