Recovery from fatal doses of strychnin by the aid of curarin and artificial respiration (insufflation method)

In a series of twenty-seven experiments upon dogs and cats we tried to develop a method by means of which life can be saved after fatal doses of strychnin. In all cases the strychnin was administered intravenously. In control experiments 0.4 mg. per kilo was invariably fatal, killing within an hour. By the aid of the method which will be described presently fourteen of the twenty-seven dogs used in developing the method survived the administration of fatal doses of strychnin. Of these fourteen five received 0.5 mg., three received 0.75 mg., and six received 0.8 mg. per kilo, that is, all animals received doses of strychnin which were in excess of a fatal dose and which undoubtedly would have killed every one of these animals in less than an hour.

The method which we have employed consists (1) in instituting and keeping up artificial respiration by the continuous insufflation method; (2) in the intravenous administration of curarin from time to time in doses sufficient to control the convulsions; (3) in the injection of a small dose of atropin to meet the slowing of the circulation, and (4) in the infusion of a liberal quantity of Ringer's solution.