The Toxicity of Caffein: An experimental study on different species of animalsSalant, William
Science
The Toxicity of Caffein: An experimental study on different species of animals
Salant, William
Caffeine -- Physiological effect
-----------+--------+-----------
Date. | Weight.|Treatment.
-----------+--------+-----------
|_Grams._| _cc._
Aug. 20 | 2,030 | 20.0
Aug. 21 | 1,950 | 19.5
Aug. 22(1)| |
Aug. 23 | 1,955 | 19.5
Aug. 24 | 1,905 | 19.0
Aug. 25 | 1,890 | 19.0
Aug. 26 | 1,780 | 18.0
Aug. 27 | 1,765 | 17.5
Aug. 28(1)| |
Aug. 29 | 1,630 | 16.5
Aug. 30 | 1,540 | 15.5
Aug. 31 | 1,510 | 15.0
Sept. 1 | 1,425 | 14.0
-----------+--------+-----------
(1) Not fed.
September 2, found dead 9 a. m. _Autopsy_: The lungs were badly
congested, the posterior lobe of the right lung showing hepatization;
the liver was considerably enlarged and congested; the mucous membrane
of the stomach and small intestines was congested and showed numerous
hemorrhagic spots; the kidneys showed slight congestion; all other
organs normal.
SERIES D.
The evidence brought forth in the preceding pages regarding cumulation
of caffein naturally suggests the question whether or not the body
acquires a tolerance for it. This question has already been answered in
the affirmative by Gourewitch,(28) but owing to the method he used for
the identification of caffein and the few experiments made his results
are not conclusive. The experiments of series A, B, and C might be
regarded as indicating that tolerance for caffein is not acquired by
the rabbit. It was noticed, however, that the rabbit apparently does
tolerate increasingly larger doses under certain conditions, as the
following experiments show:
_Rabbit 223._ _Belgian hare, male._
October 22: Weight, 1,520 grams; 15 cc 2 per cent caffein injected
subcutaneously at 2 p. m.
November 1: 10.30 a. m., weight, 1,510 grams; 17 cc 2 per cent caffein
injected subcutaneously (225 mg per kilo), reflexes observed, but no
tetanus.
November 4: 10.30 a. m., weight 1,535 grams; 19 cc 2 per cent caffein
injected subcutaneously at 2.40 p. m.; 4.40 p. m., no symptoms.
November 8: Weight, 1,425 grams; 20 cc 2 per cent caffein (285 mg per
kilo) injected at 11.45 p. m.; 5 p. m., no symptoms.
November 17: Weight, 1,325 grams; 22 cc 2 per cent caffein injected at
2.55 p. m. (329 mg per kilo), no symptoms.
November 18: Rabbit in good condition.
_Rabbit 224. Belgian hare, female. Diet, carrots._
October 18: Weight, 1,935 grams; 11.20 a. m., 15 cc 2 per cent caffein
(155 mg per kilo) injected.
November 1: Weight, 1,780 grams; 20 cc 2 per cent caffein (224 mg per
kilo) injected subcutaneously, reflexes increased, muscle tremors
present, but no other symptoms.
November 4: Weight, 1,710 grams; 21.5 cc 2 per cent caffein (252 mg per
kilo) injected.
November 8: Weight, 1,435 grams; 22.5 cc 2 per cent caffein or 314 mg
per kilo injected at 11.40 p. m.; 5 a. m., no symptoms.
November 17: Weight, 1,340 grams; 24 cc 2 per cent caffein (358 mg per
kilo) injected subcutaneously.
November 18: 9 a. m., rabbit died.
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