Document 5kowMQJaMqeqQpmEq8xgO8Oy4

284 PROCEEDINGS the testes with epididyines in the control rats was 4.61 grams us con trasted with 1.64 grams average weight in the experimental rats. The average weight of the prostate gland in the controls was 0.535 gram; 0.162 gram in the experimental animals. The average weights of the seminal vesicles in the control and experimental groups was 0.467 and 0.063 gram respectively. Histologic study of sections of the sex glands showed an atrophy of the glandular elements of the prostate gland and seminal vesicles and of the germinal layers of the seminiferous tubules of the testis, par ticularly a disintegration of the primary and secondary spermatocytes and of the spermatids, in the rats fed beef testis. No change of moment was noticed in the interstitial cells of Leydig. The stroma of the differ ent sex glands did not show any definite change, though the stromal portion of the tissues appeared relatively prominent on account of the atrophy of the glandular elements. The Anesthetic Action of Vinyl Chloride. Anderson S. Peoples and C. D. Leake, University of California. Vinyl chloride (CH = CHC1), first prepared in 1833, is a gas at ordi nary temperature (B.P. --13.9 C.), heavier than air and with an ethereal odor. In concentrations of 4 to 20 per cent in air it may be burned, but with difficulty. It is doubtful if it polymerizes to any great extent in the absence of light. In studying its toxicity, Patty et al. (Pub. Health Rep., 1930, xlv, 1963) noted its narcotic action. We found its minimal anesthetic range on mice exposed for ten minutes to be 3.5 to 5 millimols in air, while its minimal lethal range at ten minutes exposure is 10 to 12 millimols in air. It thus has a wider margin of safety than ethyl chloride, although it is not quite so powerfully anesthetic. At a con centration of 7 millimols in air it anesthetizes larger animals such as rabbits and dogs within a minute. Recovery is very rapid, and with no apparent untoward effects even after prolonged anesthetization. Recovery of Morphine from the Tissues of Tolerant and Nan-Tolerant Dogs. O. H. Plant and I. H. Pierce, State University of Iowa. A method is described for the extraction and estimation of small amounts of morphine, which gave consistant results (95 to 110 per cent recovery) when the alkaloid is added to normal tissues. The experiments were planned so that the results could be directly compared between tolerant and non-tolerant dogs under identical condi tions. Results are given for the recovery of morphine from liver, muscle, central nervous system, heart, lungs and blood and from the excretory organs and excretions. Twenty-four dogs were used, half of which had received hypodermically a single dose to 50 mgm. morphine sulphate per kilogram and half had received daily a dose of the same size for periods of approximately one year to more than four years. Environ mental and nutritional conditions of all the dogs were carefully con trolled. All were kept in metabolism cages and both food and water were given by stomach tube for intervals before the tissues were exam ined. Tissues from an equal number of both tolerant and non-tolerant dogs were analyzed ft The tissues and body the body weight. The average total i after the dose was g while in the s;une liss total recovery'was gre average concentration Of the individual lb concentration in muse central nervous syster tolerant ones. The I: non-tolerant. The a\ in the other tissues. The amount of mo the same in tolerant a) it was greater in the to alimentary' canal and tolerant animals than and in the tweni.y-foui The percentage of organs of non-tolerant hour group than in tb percentage of the dose the dose. The results suggest phine is handled in tok recovered from toierai twenty-four hours aft "destroy" morphine i; dence of storage of me canal. A Comparison of the . Barbital in Rabbits i T. W. Pratt, Unive In rabbits there ex activity of the liver, i from the blood, and tl butal). In animals pc as to significantly dels blood, there is found a On the contrary, the d appearrio be influence! quently, one is justmec by pentobarbital is clu tion of action of barbr poisoning, is obviously excreted bv the kidney G) O-nr-m G> h*