Abstract

1. A new method for the extraction of barbiturates from the urine and blood filtrates is presented. The main feature is that barbiturates are adsorbed by activated carbon.

2. The depth of color produced by different barbituric acids dissolved in chloroform in equimolar solutions with the cobaltous acetate isopropylamine test was not found to be related to the molecular weight of the barbiturate.

3. Ortal sodium, sodium pentobarbital and sodium amytal when injected intravenously, leave the blood stream rapidly and are found in it only in high dilutions for a period of one minute to several days. The amount of barbiturate injected into the blood stream may be 1000 mgm. yet the blood stream 1 minute later may contain a total of only 57 mgm.

4. The substance eliminated in the urine appears to be a degradation product of the barbiturate and not the barbiturate itself. In our experiments anesthesia never resulted in mice as a result of intraperitoneal injections of the extracted material.