The relation of tetanus to the hypodermic or intramuscular injection of quinine / by Sir D. Semple. --.

  • Semple, David, Sir, 1856-1937.
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The relation of tetanus to the hypodermic or intramuscular injection of quinine / by Sir D. Semple. --. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    CHAPTER III. The effects of lar^e doses of Quinine on small animals such as ttabbits and Guinea Pi«s. In these experiments no attempt was made to follow up the excretion of •quinine from the system, or to enter minutely into its physiological effects. The principal objects were— (1) to arrive at a dose, which, without proving fatal, would produce well marked visible effects; (2j to arrive at some conclusion as to what the local effects of quinine are when given hypodermically ; (3) to prove whether the local and general effects of quinine when given hypodermically have any influence in favouring tetanus infections ; (4) to obtain information as to whether animals can withstand larger doses by the stomach than hypodermically ; (5) to gain some information on the effects of quinine when given intra- venously. The salt of quinine used in almost all cases was the bihydrochloride, and in the form of tabloids as prepared by Burroughs, Wellcome & Co., London. The tabloids were dissolved in sterile normal saline solution in the propor- tion of 1 gr. to 1 c.c, a solution the acidity of which corresponds to 1'3 per cent, combined sulphuric acid, or 1 percent, combined hydrochloric acid. A solution of this strength was chosen in order that the escharotic action might not be too severe when injected hypodermically, or into muscles. The solution used when the drug is administered hypodermically to malarial patients, is, I understand, invariably much stronger, and on this account the local effects on the tissues at the seat of injection must be very pronounced. It will be noticed that in a few of the experiments (see Tables I and VII) the dilutions used were stronger, and in a few weaker than 1 gr. to 1 c.c. The objects in using a stronger dilution were to ascertain whether absorption would be slower or quicker—and whether the local effect^ would be to any appreciable extent more pronounced than when weaker dilutions were used ; and in the few intravenous experiments in which weaker dilutions were used the object was to ascertain whether more quinine could be tolerated when given by this method in weak dilutions. Eabbits and guinea pigs were the animals used. Both are susceptible to the action of quinine, whether given hypodermically, intravenously, or by the stomach ;