On the Mechanism of the Cardiazol Convulsion

Abstract

Experiments were performed to answer the elementary question whether cardiazol, after intravenous injection, has time to reach the central nervous system before the fit occurs. The question is not entirely superfluous for two reasons: first because several workers have reported convulsions occurring immediately after the injection, or even before the injection is completed, whereas in normal persons the average time taken for blood to circulate from the antecubital veins to the carotid sinus under resting conditions is 15·6 seconds (East and Bain (1936)), and from the carotid artery to the brain probably 1 second (Wolff and Blumgart (1929)); second, because it is important to decide whether the carotid sinus plays a part in the mechanism of the fit, since it is known that stimulation (by digital pressure) of the hypersensitive human carotid sinus will cause unconsciousness and convulsions (Weiss and Baker (1933)).