THE RELATION OF THE CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF CERTAIN ORGANIC ARSENICAL COMPOUNDS TO THEIR ACTION ON THE OPTIC TRACT

¹ From the Pharmacological Laboratory of the University of Wisconsin

Among the compounds studied by us it was found that those organic arsenicals with an amino group or a substituted amino group in the para position to the arsenic produced optic lesions in the rabbit.

Organic arsenicals with the amino group or substituted amino group in the ortho or meta position to the arsenic produced no optic lesions in the rabbit.

The above statements hold true for both trivalent and pentavalent compounds. This leads us to conclude that in this particular group of compounds, valence of the arsenic is not the most important factor in the production of the optic lesions. However, the valence of the arsenic in certain instances can modify the intensity of action of a given substance on the optic tract as is shown by a comparison of the effects of N-phenylglycine-p-arsonic acid (no. 7) and arsenophenylglycine (no. 4). The most important factor in the production of optic lesions, therefore, is the presence of an animo group in the compound in the para position to the arsenic.

We have discussed the relation of amblyopia as observed clinically to the optic lesions experimentally produced in rabbits and have discussed the role played by the drug and also the disease process in man.