Quantitative Estimation of Barbiturates in Blood by Ultra-Violet Spectrophotometry: II. Experimental and Clinical Results

Abstract

The concn. of barbiturate in the blood (detd. by a new u. -v. spectrophotometric technic) was investigated with regard to the kind and dose of the drug and to the lapse of time after ingestion in a series of nonfatal and fatal cases (therapeutic, accidental, suicidal). The barbiturates studied include pentobarbital, phenobarbital, barbital, amytal, seconal, and 5-ethyl-5-beta-methylallylbarbituric acid. Coma may occur with blood concn. as low as 1.0 mg./100 ml. after ingestion of certain short-acting barbiturates, whereas consciousness may be regained after ingestion of a slow-acting barbiturate with a residual blood concn. as high as 11 mg./lOO ml. Recovery from barbital poisoning was observed in 1 instance in which more than 7.4 g. of the drug was recovered in the urine. Deaths apparently due to the combined effects of alcohol and barbiturate, each of which was present in concns. not ordinarily considered fatal, are included. The danger incident to indiscriminate use of the 2 agents at the same time is stressed.