BARBITURATE ANTAGONISM: THE USE OF “MEGIMIDE” AND OF “DAPTAZOLE” IN CURTAILING “NEMBUTAL” ANAESTHESIA, AND IN TREATING APNOEIO “NEMBUTAL” INTOXICATION IN SHEEP.

Summary. The intravenous administration of “Megimide” (mean dose rate 22.5 mg/kg) to sheep which had been under deep “Nembutal” anaesthesia (29 mg/kg) for ten minutes restored them immediately to consciousness, and greatly reduced the recovery time (26.4 ± 6.72 min), as compared with that of controls (76.9 ± 23.1 min). The administration of 300 mg “Daptazole” (7.55 mg/kg) five minutes before the “Megimide” did not significantly reduce the recovery time (24.5 ± 5.82 min) as compared with that after “Megimide” alone (28.5 ± 7.22 min). The administration of 300 mg “Daptazole.” immediately followed by a fixed dose of 150 ml “Megimide” solution (mean dose rate = 18.9 mg “Megimide”/kg), to sheep rendered apnoeic by overdosage with “Nembutal” (mean dose rate = 54 mg/kg) restored breathing in four out of five in which treatment was begun immediately, and in six out of eight in which treatment was delayed for one minute, whereas four apnoeic control sheep treated with 150 ml normal saline died. The saving of 10 out of 13 (77 per cent. ) apnoeic “Nembutal”‐poisoned sheep which had been denied all other ancillary treatment, such as artificial respiration, is a clear demonstration of the value of this treatment in restoring respiration, and in overcoming barbiturate poisoning.