PHOSPHAGEN CHANGES IN THE IODOACETATE POISONED FROG'S VENTRICLE

¹ The Departments of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Edinburgh

1. Frogs' ventricles poisoned with I.A.A. and asphyxiated in pure nitrogen showed, at the time of asphyxial arrest, a loss of about half their phosphagen and a loss of about one-quarter of their adenosin triphosphate.

2. Similar ventricles when arrested by exposure to low oxygen pressures (10-20 mm. Hg) showed no loss of phosphagen.

3. These results indicate that the mechanical failure of the frog's ventricle, poisoned with I.A.A. and exposed to complete or partial oxygen lack, cannot be attributed to phosphagen depletion.

The expenses of this research were defrayed by a grant from the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland to one of us (A. J. C.), for which we record our thanks.