Part 32

June 24: 10 a. m., 8 cc 2 per cent caffein injected into peritoneal cavity; 4 p. m. under continual observation since injection, cat very irritable, respiration more rapid than normal, diarrhea present.

Examination of the above protocols show that a dose of 2 decigrams per kilo was fatal within one hour to one cat and that a somewhat smaller dose killed another individual in 30 minutes. Amounts under 0.15 gram per kilo were just sufficient to induce mild symptoms, such as increased irritability and salivation, which disappeared within a few hours. In no case were the effects noticeable on the following day. The experiments on young kittens are especially interesting, as they proved, contrary to expectation, to be distinctly more resistant than full grown individuals. The death of Nos. 97 and 96 within five and six days, respectively, can not be ascribed to caffein, since some of the controls also died. Moreover, it will be remarked in this connection that no symptoms appeared in three of the four young kittens after the administration of a dose which was rapidly fatal to adult cats. The rapid death of No. 95 after the same dose forms an exception which can not be accounted for, as macroscopical examination at autopsy proved negative.

ADMINISTRATION BY MOUTH.

Two decigrams per kilo were given at first, but it was found that this amount was surely fatal. The dose was therefore reduced to 0.125 gram per kilo. In all of these experiments caffein was given by means of a soft rubber catheter slipped over the stem of a funnel which served as a stomach tube. A 2 per cent aqueous solution was used throughout these tests except in one case in which caffein was given mixed with the food.

Cat 92. Black and white female. Weight, 1,750 grams.

June 10: 12.05 p. m., 14 cc 2 per cent caffein (0.16 gram per kilo) given by mouth; cat was quiet when tied on holder, struggled only a little when tube was put into stomach; 12.30 p. m., cat vomited, no other symptoms.

June 13: Condition good, appetite good.

Cat 87. White female. Weight, 2,620 grams. Diet, meat.

June 5: 2.15 p. m., 20 cc 2 per cent caffein (0.15 gram per kilo) solution administered by mouth through stomach tube; 2.30 p. m., cat irritable, but no other symptoms; 5 p. m., condition about the same, except that it was more irritable and showed some stiffness of the extremities.

June 13: Alive and in good condition, appetite good, not irritable.

Cat 91. White female. Weight, 3,050 grams.

June 10: 12 noon, 23 cc (0.15 gram per kilo) of 2 per cent caffein administered by mouth, cat struggled violently; 1.30, salivation; 1.40 p. m., convulsions; died at 2 p. m. Autopsy: Congestion of lungs, liver, and spleen; heart vessels injected; other organs normal.

Cat 88. Black and white female. Weight, 3,260 grams. Diet, meat.

June 5: 2.20 p. m., 25 cc of 2 per cent caffein (0.15 gram per kilo) given by mouth; 2.45 p. m., cat irritable, no other symptoms (cat did not vomit after the administration of caffein); 4 p. m., cat found dead. Autopsy: Liver very much congested; heart contracted; body was still warm at the time of autopsy.

Cat 90. White and yellow female. Weight, 2,685 grams. Diet, meat.

June 5: 3.15 p. m., 27 cc of 2 per cent caffein (0.2 gram per kilo) given by mouth through stomach tube, about half an hour later cat became irritable and began to salivate; at 4.30 p. m. salivation became more marked, dyspnoea was well developed, and the cat was quite restless and had tremors; 5 p. m., short spasms of posterior extremities, but lay quietly in the cage most of the time; 5.20 p. m., convulsions of short duration and death, muscular relaxation followed immediately after convulsions, no vomiting, diarrhea observed after administration of caffein, and cat passed about 10 cc of urine.

June 6: 9 a. m., found dead.

Cat 89. White and black female. Weight, 2,860 grams. Diet, meat.

June 5: 3.15 p. m., 28.6 cc (0.2 gram per kilo) of 2 per cent caffein given by mouth through stomach tube, no vomiting observed, nor any other symptoms; 3.30, found dead. Autopsy: Organs normal; liver congested.

Cat 82. Gray female. March 3, weight 2,450 grams; June 6, weight 2,750 grams. Diet, 150 grams of meat daily.

June 7: Given 0.4125 gram of caffein in 150 grams of meat, did not eat.

June 8: Given 0.4125 gram of caffein in 150 grams of meat, refused to eat.

June 9: Given 150 grams of meat without caffein, ate all of it.

June 10: No food given.

June 11: No food given.

June 12: Given 0.4125 gram caffein in 150 grams of meat (150 mg per kilo), ate all of it.

June 13: Found dead. Autopsy: Lungs congested, liver congested; other organs apparently normal.

Cat 100. Gray female. Weight, 2,740 grams. Diet, meat.