Poisons, Their Effects and Detection / A Manual for the Use of Analytical Chemists and Experts - Alexander Wynter Blyth

[471] Archiv de Pharm., Jan. 7, 1882.

TABLE SHOWING FATAL DOSES (FOR ANIMALS) OF ACONITINE.

Animals Experimented upon.	Dose Given.			Dose per Kilogrm.			Result.
PETIT’S CRYSTALLINE ACONITINE NITRATE.
A Frog,		·4	mgrm.	16	·0		Death in 160 Minutes.
A Rabbit,		·8	„	·5-	·6		Dea„h in 130 Min„
A Dog,	1	·6	„		·21		Dea„h in 120 Min„
A D„		·45	„		·10		Dea„h in 140 Min„
A D„		·50	„		·054		Recovered.
A D„		·60	„		·075		Recovered.
A Pigeon		·07	„		·22		Death in 21 Minutes.
MERCK’S ACONITINE NITRATE.
Animals Experimented upon.	Dose Given.			Dose per Kilogrm.			Result.
A Frog,		·4	mgrm.	16			Recovered.
A F„	1	·0	„	40			Died in 110-360 Min.
A F„	2	·0	„	80			Died„in 175-130 M„
A F„	4	·0	„	160			Died„in 150-130 M„
A Rabbit,	3	·5	„	2			Died„in 175-130 M„
A Ra„	10		„	6	·50		Died„in 115-130 M„
A Dog,	10		„	1	·65		Died„in 115-130 M„
A Pigeon,	...			1	·65		Recovered.
FRIEDLÄNDER’S ACONITINE NITRATE.
Animals Experimented upon.	Dose Given.			Dose per Kilogrm.			Result.
A Frog,	4		mgrms.	160			Recovered.
A F„	10		„	400		-	Death in more than 60 minutes.
A F„	20		„	800
A F„	40		„	1600
A Rabbit,	6		„	4	·11		Recovered.
A Ra„	24		„	18	·00		Reco„
A Ra„	50		„	85	·50		Reco„
A Dog,	28		„	6	·00		Reco„
A Pigeon,	10		„	33	·4		Reco„

The conclusions Plugge draws from his researches are that Petit’s aconitine was at least eight times stronger than that of Merck, and seventy times more toxic than that of Friedländer, while Merck’s “aconitine again was twenty to thirty times stronger than Friedländer’s.” He was inclined to put seven commercial samples which he has examined in the following diminishing order of toxicity:—(1) Petit’s crystalline aconitine nitrate; (2) Morson’s aconitine nitrate; (3) Hottot’s aconitine nitrate; (4) Hopkins & Williams’ pseudaconitine; (5) Merck’s aconitine nitrate; (6) Schuchart’s aconitine sulphate; and (7) Friedländer’s aconitine nitrate.

From a study of Dr. Harley’s experiments,[472] however, made a few years ago, there would appear to have been but little difference between the activity of Petit’s and Morson’s aconitine. Dr. Harley experimented on a young cat, 3 lbs. in weight, and nearly killed it with a ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ of a grain of Morson’s aconitine; two other cats, also weighing 3 lbs. each, died in seven and a half hours and three-quarters of an hour respectively, killed from a subcutaneous dose of of a grain. Reducing these values to the ordinary equivalents, the dose, after which the cat recovered with difficulty, is equal to about ·048 mgrm. per kilo., while a certainly fatal dose is ·092 mgrm. per kilo.; therefore, it seems likely that the least fatal dose for Morson’s, as for Petit’s, is some number between ·075 and ·09 mgrm. per kilo.

[472] “On the Action and Use of Aconitine,” St. Thos. Hosp. Report, 1874.

Man is evidently more sensitive to aconitine than any of the dogs or cats experimented upon, since, in the German cases to be recorded, 1·6 mgrm. of Petit’s aconitine nitrate, taken by the mouth, gave rise to symptoms so violent that it was evidently a dangerous dose, while 4 mgrms. were rapidly fatal; but if man took the same amount per kilo. as dogs or cats, he would require a little over 6 mgrms. to be certainly fatal. It seems, then, from the evidence obtainable, that ·03 grain (2 mgrms.) is about the least fatal dose for an adult man of standard weight. This dose is equal to ·028 mgrm. per kilo., and, of course, refers either to Morson’s aconitine or French aconitine, the alkaloid being taken by the mouth. If given by subcutaneous injection, probably 1·5 mgrm. would kill, for the whole of the poison is then thrown on the circulation at one time, and there is no chance of its elimination by vomiting.