Effects of quinidine on the circulatory system

542

AMERICAN

apparently produced blood after penicillin in Case 3. will

HEART

JOURNAL

sterilization of the valvular lesions in Case 1, resulted therapy had failed in Case 2, and was solely responsible

The dose of streptomycin used, 500,000 units (0.5 Gm.) per day, be adequate in all cases in which the use of the drug is indicated.

in negative cultures of for the cure obtained

is not necessarily

that

which BBLLET.

Ramos,

G. J.,

Cardiol.

and

Mex.

Peralta,

16:302

R.:

(July),

Effects

of

Quinidine

on

the

Circulatory

Arch.

System.

1946.

The effect of small doses of quinidine on cats under dial anesthesia was studied. The heart rate, electrocardiogram, blood pressure, cardiac and vascular responses to central stimulation of the vagus and of the sciatic nerves, to temporary closure of both carotid arteries, and to epinephrine were investigated. The effects of small doses of quinidine (0.25 mg. to 1.0 mg. per kilogram) were as follows: (1) The speed of recovery of the conducting system was decreased; this was shown by prolongation of the P-R interval whenever tachycardia was present. (2) The excitability of the myocardium was decreased in response to electrical stimulation or epinephrine injection. (3) The heart rate was decreased. Larger doses (1 to 5 mg. per kilogram) yielded similar but far more Prolongation of the P-R interval, even with a normal heart rate, decreased striking results: response of the heart to epinephrine, and to stimulation of the vagus nerve. Still larger doses (5 to 10 mg. per kilogram) resulted in a reduction of the blood pressure and a depression of the respiratory center.

Levine,

H. 212538

D., (Nov.),

and

Erlanger,

H.:

.4tahrine

and

the

Am.J.M.Sc.

Electrocardiogram.

1946.

In a series of 179 individuals, atabrine in therapeutic and suppressive effect on the electrocardiogram. It is concluded that abnormalities occurring in patients taking atabrine ran he attributed to other causes.

doses had no significant previously reported as DURANT.

Patek,

Kendall, F. A. J., Jr., Venous Thrombosis After Preservatives. Am.J.M.Sc.

E., lnfusion 212561

Victor,

J., With (Nov.).

Lowell, Gelatin 1946.

A..

Colcher,

Solutions

H., Containing

and

Seegal,

D.:

Mercurial

Gelatin solutions containing phenyl mercuric borate or merthiolate as preservatives were injected eighty times into thirty-nine patients, usually in amounts of l,OOO,cubic centimeters. Local thrombosis occurred in twenty-seven of the eighty veins injected. L’enous thrombosis did not occur, however, when gelatin solutions free of mercurial preservatives were injected. Similar results were obtained in experimental studies using ear veins of rabbits. The addition of sodium thiosulfate or methionine to gelatin solutions containing phenyl mercuric borate appeared to give partial protection against the thrombotic action of this mercurial preservative. It is postulated that this converts the mercuric ions to the mercurous form and in this way renders the compound less irritative to the vein. DURANT. Stein,

I.:

Postural

Heart

Block.

Am.J.M.Sc.

212:604

(Nov.),

1946.

Two cases of alteration in the A-V conduction time resulting from change in posture are described. In one of these, complete heart block was present in the recumbent position, but lesser degrees of block were present when the patient was upright. The other patient presented a second degree heart block while supine and a first degree in the standing position. The block was caused by digitalis. Because both patients showed reduction of the block in response to atropine, vagal