Upon the action of this drug a large amount of experience has been accumu lated by a number of observers, the world over, and the general verdict is that it does not depress the heart or circulation, does not lower temperature, that it exert, a decided action in many eases of in sonmia from pain, and that after-effects and by-effects are rarely witnessed. At the same time it must be admitted that collapse symptoms have been observed in a few cases and likewise erytheinatous eruptions. It certainly is a, very valu able hypnotic. Ringer and Sainsbury ("lland-book of Therap.," '97).
Chloralose.—This drug was introduced as a substitute for chloral-hydrate, with the claim that it is hypnotic,—causing sleep in birds and mammals as well as in man.—analgesic, exerts its effect chiefly upon the gray matter of the brain, and unlike chloral does not de press the spinal cord; also that it is with out any irritant effect on either stom ach or intestines; indeed, that it is entirely devoid of unpleasant after-ef fects—all of which has by no means been definitely substantiated. It should be administered with caution.
The introducers assert that 75 grains will, in a dog of 2 V., pounds' weight, pro duce symptoms of intoxication followed by a most profound sleep in which all sensibility is lost, althoug,h the reflex activities are greater than normal. Upon the circulation the drug has but little power, the arterial pressure—even when there is profound unconsciousness—being scarcely affected. During unconscious ness not only is the motor side of the spinal cord more active than normal, but the cerebral cortex was also found to be extremely excitable. H. C. Wood ("Princ. and Prat'. of Therap.," '94).
The toxic dose is about '110(.0 of the body-weight. When injected into a frog in this proportion produces a. condition shnilar to that observed after removal of the cerebral hemispheres. Spontaneous movements arc abolished, but reflex and automatic actions remain intact. Soon afterward, however, respiration is par alyzed, followed by the disappearance of all reflex activity, and the animal lies apparently dead; but on opening the thorax the heart is found beating quite vigorously, this eardiac action continuing, for two or more hours after the abolition of the respiratory movement. The sleep produced in man is sometimes preceded by muscular tremors or simple twitch ings, dizziness, and difficulty of spee.ch;
the sleep Is more profound than normal, the patient becomes insensible to pineh ing or pricking, of the skin, and the corneal reflexes seem to he absolutely abolished. Chambard (Revue de ,N16.(1e eine, _Apr. 10, '94).
The respiration is slowed, and by large doses its rhythm is somewhat altered. C'appelletti (Uniao .316(1., Sept., '94).
Chloralose is a prompt and safe hyp notic; it acts more rapidly than any drug except morphine. It is also more prompt and efficient in smaller doses than chloral. Five grains, the maxi mum (lose, may be repeated in an hour. Nine cases of insomnia referred to, some of them exceedingly severe, in which sulphonal, trional, and other hypnotics prove ineffective. Chloralose produced excellent results. James Tyson (Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc., Apr. 6, 1901).
The action of chloralose is chiefly upon the brain and the spinal cord. On the brain it causes two effects, one of depression and one of excitability, the former intense and lasting, the lat ter slight and fugacious. The depres sant action presents itself as sleep and sedation; the sleep comes rapidly, is exceptionally preceded by intoxication; heaviness of the head, stupor, or mod erate cephalalgia, this being often quite marked, but not exaggerated; at other times lassitude, feebleness of the lower extremities, and various other troubles on different days, the narcosis being fol lowed by a feeling of well-being. The drug also has the peculiar property of causing physical blindness; it is capable of producing dilatation of the pupil and diminution of visual acuteness, some times accompanied with diplopia.. It in creases the appetite markedly, and ex ceptionally may cause gastric disturb ances, eructations, thirst, and vomiting. It does not produce an increase in the amount of urine secreted, but causes a relative polyuria immediately after its administration. (Montyel.) Toxic symptoms observed in two pa tients: OM suffering from diabetes, the other from itterine fibroid, the symptoms being trembling., starting, nausea, vomit ing, a species of dull restlessness accom panied by incoherence. and involuntary evacuation of urine and freces. Touve naint (Le Prog. Ali,d., No. 19, '94).