A case is presented where respiratory and cardiac arrest occurred after the rapid intravenous administration of kanamycin. These undesirable effects on respiration were described previously only upon the intra-peritoneal or intrapleural administration of the drug. While calcium gluconate has been reported to be the drug of choice in reversing these toxic effects of kanamycin, it did not prove at all effective in this case. Neostigmine, on the other hand, was dramatically effective in reversing the neuromuscular curare like block. Although ether anesthesia has been implicated in all but one of the previous reports, it was not involved in this case.