A NEW LETHAL DOSE OF CURARE, WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE PATHOLOGY PRODUCED BY LARGE DOSES

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The anoxic lethal dose of intocostrin in the dog is 0.065 ml./lb. of body wt. The anoxic lethal dose is unaffected by cyclopropane-O2 anesthesia. The possibility of a cumulative effect of curare is indicated by the death of one dog following the admn. of what appeared later to be a sublethal dose. The suggestion is offered that the use of curare on succeeding days may be associated with a heightened effect of the drug. An unidentified anticurare effect was encountered with a technic including tracheal intubation, cyclopropane-O2 anesthesia, pentothal induction, and the admn. of the curare with saline soln. through rubber tubing. As evidenced by the deaths of 2 dogs. . . . the animal is in a dangerous condition on emergence from deep curarization. Dogs can make complete recoveries, with artificial respiration, after receiving 5 times the anoxic lethal dose of curare. The lethal dose of intocostrin in dogs, in the presence of continuous artificial respiration, is about 20 times the anoxic lethal dose. The cardiovascular system appears to be affected by large doses of curare. A temporary unavoidable cyanosis was present following admn. in the presence of proper artificial respiration. Marked slowing of the pulse rate occurred whenever artificial respiration was stopped. Bronchiolar or intercostal spasm is suggested immediately following the injn. of large doses of curare by the greater amt. of force required to raise the chest wall during artificial respiration. No clinical evidence of brain damage could be found (other than that due to anoxia). Bloody diarrhea was a constant finding in the later expts. Postmortem examination in 2 cases revealed severe mucosal hemorrhages involving the entire intestinal tract. There may be at least a relative contraindication for the use of large doses of this drug when there is disease of the intestinal tract. The forelegs always recover function before the hind legs. Weakness of all legs persists for a period of mins. to several hrs. after recovery. Prostigmine does not appear to be a perfect neutralizing agent for large doses of curare. The safest and proper method of terminating the effects is continuous artificial respiration until the animal has recovered completely.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: