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ARTICLE BY ARTHUR R. CUSHNY, A.M., M.B. (Aberd.)
(FROM THE PHYSIOLOGICAL LABORATORY OF BERN UNIVERSITY.)
"The Lancet", March 14th , 1891.
THE report of the Hyderabad Chloroform Commission has been read with interest not
only in England and America. but also in Germany and Switzerland, where it has aroused
widespread discussion and comment. In the latter country especially, which is at present in
the throes of a discussion as to the respective merits of the rival anæsthetics, the report of the
second Commission was awaited with anxiety and received with much approbation by the
numerous advocates of chloroform. On the decision of the Commission becoming known,
Professor Kronecker of Bern whose Ratimoff and Schemey, had already shown the
poisonous action of chloroform on the heart, suggested that I should make a few experiments
on the subject. The details of these will be published elsewhere, and I will here state merely
the general results.
By the Hyderabad Commission no experiments seem to have been made with chloro
- f o r m v a p o u r o f a s c e r t a i n e d c o n c e n t r a t i o n , a n d a s t h i s f a c t o r s e e m s t o b e o f c o n s i d e r a b l e
weight, I have used an apparatus* in which it could be exactly regulated. This consists of
two wash-bone-third the one with chloroform, the other with water. Part of the
air inspired by the animal passes through one, part through the other, and becomes saturated
with chloroform fumes or water vapour accordingly. The proportion of the chloroform
saturated to the moisture saturated air is regulated by two graduated stopcocks (Kroneckner's
Schiebhahn). The two currents unite, and are led by a short tube to the tracheal canula.
Expiration is provided for by a small hole in the sheath of the latter, which is covered by a flap
of moist goldbeater's skin, to prevent the inspiration of air which has not first passed through
the apparatus. In order to exclude all chance of asphyxial complications, and to allow a
regular amount of chloroform to be absorbed in a given time, the air was driven through
the apparatus by a machine for artificial respiration. The animals used were dogs and rabbits,
and the experiments were carried out it ordinary room temperature (15° to 17° G.). The
movements of the heart and respiration were recorded by a heart needle and diaphragm lever,
and tracings were taken in almost all the experiments. In the respiratory tracing the curves
formed by spontaneous respiration were combined with those caused by the artificial inflation
of the lungs, but could be easily distingnished, and the moment of cessation of the former
ascertained. When this Occurred artificial respiration was generally stopped for a few
seconds, to see if any spontaneous movements occurred. I may here state that the heart
needle was not found to be an accurate index of the heart beat, as in some cases
it continued to vibrate after paralysis of the ventricles, owing to the continued pulsation
of the auricles communicating a motion to the ventricles through which the needle
passed. In all cases, therefore, in winch there was any doubt as to the condition of the
heart, artificial respiration with air was resumed, and the heart observed directly by Opening
* Ratimoff and Schemey used the same apparatus in their experiments.