AMYLENE is a derivative of fermen tation of amyl-alcohol, which in the pure state has an oily character and an odor resembling that of old whisky. It ap pears in the form of a liquid with a specific gravity of 0.689 at 60° F. and a boiling-point of 95° F. It is soluble in water in the proportion of 1 part to 9319 parts, and is readily soluble in alcohol and in ether. It is said that water dis solves 2.35 per cent. of amylene-vapor, the water tasting of amylene for a long time. It has antiseptic properties, like nitrite of amyl, and prevents the putre faction of blood. The odor evolved from a bottle that has contained blood and amylene resembles that of rosemary. The drug prevents decomposition of fresh flowers, but changes their color.
Physiological Action. — Arnylene was at one time considerably used an an esthetic. It causes a slight excitement, a rapid inebriation, followed soon after ward by weak extremities, sudden col lapse and coma, with total insensibility to pain, and, though rarely, with an equivalent loss of consciousness. Ex periments on human beings have shown that the vapor of amylene. by inhalation, produces a state of anesthesia in which acts of consciousness. previously con ceived and carefully carried out, may be performed, without remembering after ward any single fact connected with the action. This is a remarkable phenome non, and seems to show that the human brain may exhibit objective conscious ness apart from the subjective conscious ness of life; in other words, a conscious ness of which it is itself unconscious, and this under the mere influence of a volatile fluid which mixes so indiffer ently with blood at 9S° F. that one part
of it only will combine with a little over 10,000 parts of blood. This action of amylene and the phenomena of somnam bulism seem to present a certain analogy.
Untoward Effects. — in sufficiently large doses amylene produces death, and the only post-mortem change observed is engorgement of the right heart. No change in the color of the blood is pro duced; neither is there any alteration in the corpuscles or in the natural period of coagulation of the blood observed. It lessens muscular power, but this effect is not lasting. The fatal action of amy lene is attributed not to any inherent powers of its own, but to the fact that when the drug finds access to the circu lation it separates in the form of vapor, producing bubbles, and thus acts like air introduced into a vein.
Therapeutics. — The insensibility caused by amylene is quite complete, but exceedingly transient. After the drug is removed, recovery is rapid. Before complete insensibility is produced, three well-marked stages are observed: The first is one of mild excitement, during which the face becomes red and con gested; the second is a period of stag gering inebriety; and the third stage one of collapse and insensibility. A peculiar muscular tremor is frequently noticed. Locally, in the form of a spray, amylene acts as an efficient being more rapid than anhydrous ether and more stable than amyl-hydride, which it closely resembles in its physiological action. (Benjamin Ward Richardson.)