Case of spasmodic closure of the glot tis from the inhalation of ether. The had been started with nitrous oxide, but after the ether had been given a little while the conjunctival reflex was almost abolished, the quiet breathing suddenly ceased. A finger pushed into the glottis showed that it was tightly closed. After the glottis had been opened by the finger, respiration was re-estab lished and the anmsthesia continued with A. C. E. mixture. McCardie (Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 20, 1900).
The temperature is lowered to greater extent tinder ether than under chloro form. Angelesco (La Semaine Dec. 14, '94).
Ether, chloroform, alcohol, morphine, and other narcotics have the power of paralyzing the heat-regulating mechan ism; so that a warm-blooded animal can no longer maintain its temperature, and becomes for the time being cold-blooded. It is remarkable that an animal so high in the scale of hotuoiothermism as the monkey should suffer no bad effects from having its temperature reduced to 14° C. (57.2° F.),—a fall from the normal of about 44° F. When the rectal temperature fell sufficiently low, from 25° to 23° C. (77° to 73° F.), a condition of what might be termed hibernation" was induced, and in this condition the animal remained and tended to take the temperature of the medium in which it was placed. It had no power of self-recovery, and con tinued to sleep on until warmed by artificial means. S. Simpson (Jour. of Physiok, Dec. 15, 1902).
Important also in the production of untoward results is the influence of ether upon the kidneys. Albuminuria follows the administration of ether but rarely, but the presence of renal disorder prior to the use of the anaesthetic is a possi bility to be considered in all cases in which albumin was found in the urine. Should renal insufficiency be induced, the pulmonary witnessed as a complication would find a ready explana tion, although death occurring during or after ether narcosis from oedema of the lungs has been attributed by Pop pert and others to the toxic action of the ether. The majority of cases of post anmsthetie bronchitis and bronchopneu monia are also thought to be ascribed to these pathogenic factors.
Albumin found in seven out of one hundred cases. It disappeared within forty-eight hours in all. Campbell (An nals of Surg., Dee., '94).
In one hundred and fifty cases in which the urine was examined before and after etherization, but one case is found in which albumin was present The influence upon the temperature is quite marked and is due partly to de pression of the nervous system, the rapid evaporation and elimination of the drug from the lungs and general system, and the active perspiration produced. These
factors are doubtless operative in the production of the pulmonary after effects reported.
after etherization, where it had been absent before, and this disappeared five clays after the operation. Barensfeld (_Munch. med. Woch., No. xli, '94).
[These results agree with those of Wunderlich, Alber, Rindskopt, and with my own. Ether-vapor is very rapidly eliminated,—mainly by the lungs. It is important to ascertain, in all cases of al buminuria following ether, whether the emunctories other than the kidneys are so damaged as to throw the elimination upon the latter. In my own experience any grave renal lesion following ether has been most exceptional, and I have never been able to satisfy myself that ether has ever caused a death in this way when it was given by me. Dun LEY BUXTON, Assoc. Ed., Annual, '96.] In 34.6 per cent. of cases given ether, albumin was not found before the ether was given, but was found afterward. In 34.6 per cent. albumin was found before and was increased afterward. In 26.6 per cent. of the eases there was no in crease in the quantity of albumin after the ether was given. In 1.54 per cent. albumin was not found before or after the ether was given. In 1.33 per cent. albumin was found before, but was con siderably less after the ether was given. In 1.33 per cent. albumin was found be fore ether was given, but was absent afterward. In 14.6 per cent. of the cases renal casts were found in the sediment before ether was given and were in creased in number afterward. In 57.3 per cent. casts could not be found before or after. Only about 10 per cent. of the patients passed urine which was highly concentrated after taking the ether, the remainder only a slightly concentrated urine. The quantity of ether given in these eases varied from 100 to SOO cubic centimetres, and the length of time the patients were under the influence of the ether varied from ten minutes to an hour and a half. J. B. Ogden (Jour. of the Boston Soc. of Med. Sci., '97).