TREATMENT OF ACUTE HEROIN INTOXICATION WITH NALORPHINE (NALLINE) HYDROCHLORIDE

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Abstract
Numerous reports have appeared in the literature demonstrating that in animals nalorphine (Nalline) hydrochloride is an effective antagonist to the toxic effects of morphine and other of its derivatives. Preliminary experimental studies with human beings showed that nalorphine reversed the respiratory depression caused by morphine, dihydromorphinone (Dilaudid) hydrochloride, methadone, meperidine, and the proprietary preparation containing alkaloids of opium, Pantopon. Patients suffering from overdoses of methadone, racemorphan (Dromoran) hydrobromide, or dihydromorphinone have been successfully treated. It seemed reasonable to believe, therefore, that nalorphine would be of benefit in treating heroin toxicity since heroin is a diacetyl derivative of morphine. This report is concerned with the treatment of a patient suffering from acute heroin poisoning. To my knowledge, no instance of acute heroin toxicity treated with nalorphine has appeared in the literature. REPORT OF A CASE A 22-year-old married mulatto woman entered Kings County Hospital on May 1, 1953, at 10:35 p.