Note on some experiments with ergotine / by Sydney Ringer and Harrington Sainsbury.

  • Ringer, Sydney, 1835-1910.
Date:
1884
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Note on some experiments with ergotine / by Sydney Ringer and Harrington Sainsbury. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    2 explanation actually given by Eberty (Wood, p. 543), according to whom it is impossible to effect cardiac arrest by ergot after section of the vagi. Leaving the question of the cardiac action of ergotine, let us return to a consideration of the action on the arterioles. In a recent series of experiments on the digitalis-group, the results of which have been given in a paper recently read before the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society,1 we endeavoured to establish for the members of this group a direct action on the arterial walls. Amongst others, we also made some experiments with ergotine, the results of which we will now shortly give. The preparation used was ergotine (Bonjean’s extract). Of this, we employed in our first experiment a 1 per cent, solution; in our subsequent ones, a 10 per cent. Our method of experimentation was the same as that adopted for the members of the digitalis-group ; it was- as follows. The brain and spinal cord of a tortoise were destroyed, the shell of the animal then sawn transversely in half, and the soft parts divided. Into the abdominal aorta of the hinder half of the body a cannula was then tied. This cannula was fed by simple siphon-action, with saline solution, 0.6 per cent., made with tap-water. The course of the circulation was, accordingly, into the tissues through the ab- dominal aorta, and out by the cut veins. The escaping fluid drained from a glass plate into a suitable vessel and was accurately measured. The quantity of fluid which flowed through the vessels during each interval of five minutes was then recorded. The head of pressure varied in the different experiments, but dur- ing each was maintained constant within about 0.5 centimetre, by constant additions to the supply-vessel, which was chosen of large capacitj'', so as to retard changes in level. Exjjervment.—July 11. The temperature of room, 19.5° C. (67.1 Fahr.) Head of pressure, 31 centimetres. Outflow per 5 Minutes. Saline solution2 0.6 per cent., supplied. 0.5 c.c. ergotine (1 per cent, solution of Bon- jean’s extract) to each 100 c.c. of saline. 2 c.c. ergotine in 100 c.c. saline. r 70 66 64 64 ;<54 60 J 62 ] 60 68 ' 64 (60 | 64 i 65 | 65 l 67 c.c. II II II » II II II II II II II II II ll 8 c.c. ergotine in 100 saline. Outflow per 5 Minutes. C.C. ( 63 c.c. 61 „ 63 „ h 60 „ 60 „ 56 „ 150 „ Digitaline 1 c.c. (1 per cent, solution) in 100 c.c. saline. (46 24 8 II II II In this experiment it may be observed that, till the strongest so- lution of poisoned saline (8 c.c. of ergotine solution in 100 c.c. saline) was employed, no diminution in the rate of flow was ob- served. Under this strongest solution a slight fall obtained, viz., from 67 c.c. to 50 c.c. Our stock of ergotine being exhausted, we substituted a saline solution poisoned with digitaline (1 c.c. of 1 per cent, to 100 c.c. saline solution). The sudden fall in the rate of flow, from 50 c.c. to 3 c.c., contrasts well the powerful effect of digitaline in con- 1 November 27th, 1883, “Investigations into the Action of the Digitalis- Group.” See Lancet, December 1st, 1883. 2 We may remark that the saline solution employed throughout was maue with tap-water and not distilled water.