TRANSIENT CHANGE IN THE AURICULOVENTRICULAR CONDITION FOLLOWING THE INJECTION OF HISTAMIN

Abstract

During the course of certain clinical studies in the medical service of the Mayo Clinic with regard to the use of histamin in various types of hypertension, it was observed that, not infrequently, arrhythmia followed the hypodermic injection of 0.5 mg. of histamin dichlorid. Since histamin dichlorid was found by Barger and Dale¹ and by Ackermann and Kutscher² to be one of the ergot bases which are capable of causing intense tonic contraction of the uterus, attempts have been made to use it in the field of gynecology for the treatment of uterine inertia. Jäger³ observed palpitation of the heart in the shocklike condition induced by a hypodermic administration of from 6 to 8 mg. of histamin hydrochlorid to adults. Schenk⁴ noted that following the subcutaneous administration of histamin phosphate, in doses of from 4 to 5 mg., the pulse rate was doubled, with a marked fall in the blood