Kerosolene

One of the lighter (probably the lightest) products, obtained by distillation from the crude oil obtained from

Albatite from Nova Scotia, Kerosolene being the trade name given by the "Downer Kerosene Oil Company," Boston, Mass.; nearly or quite identical with "

Gasolene ," the lightest oil from petroleum.

Authorities.

1 , Dr. Ephraim Cutter, Am. Med. Times, 1861, p. 86, effects in a man cleaning out the still; 2 , same, experiments on self and others, with about 4 ounces each trial; 3 , same, effects in a man (on whom formerly a large amount of ether had failed); 4 , Dr. G. P. Cady, Am. Med. Times, 1861, p. 250, effects; 5 , Dr. H. J. Bigelow, Boston Med. and Surg. Journ., 1861, p. 494, effects of inhalation; 6 , same, effects of inhalation in a girl; 7 , same, in a woman; 8 , Dr. Bowditch, Bost. Med. and Surg. Journ., 65, p. 48, effects of inhalation; 9 , same, second case; 10 , Dr. Andrews, same journal, p. 63, inhalation; 11 , Dr. Toothacker, same journal, p. 202, inhalation; 12 , Dr. Wakefield, same reference, inhalation; 13 , Dr. Hodgdon, same reference, inhalation; 14 , A. Horr, Am. Med. Times, 1862, effects of inhalation; 15 , same, in son, aged 19.

MIND

• As you breathe the vapor you seem to float away into a wavy maze, with a sense of complete loneliness; there appears to be but one object in the inverse, and that object is yourself; on recovery the first thing seen is deemed the next only existence in the universe; it takes some little time to regain all the faculties, 2.
• He began to laugh and opened his mouth, in a minute or two recovered his sensibilities; he knew nothing of the extraction except by the blood in his mouth; he was very lively and "chipper," and expressed himself as having had a pleasant dream, 11.
• "Lost himself," but was inclined to laugh and would not keep still; a second time it was administered; both fingers were opened to the bone, which he seemed just to feel; on coming to himself he said he did not suffer anything, 12.

HEAD

• Peculiar lightness of the head, 8.
• Slight headache, 2.

EYE

• Eye a little unnaturally open and staring, 10.

FACE

• Countenance flushed, 10.
• Momentary dusky redness of the face at each convulsion, similar to that which occurs in epilepsy, 10.
• Certain degree of purple color, 7.

MOUTH. [10.]

• Observed a taste similar to the smell of gas-works, 15.

THROAT

• Slight smarting of the fauces, 15.

RESPIRATORY ORGANS

• More cough than I had expected, 6.

CHEST

• During the convulsions a moderate check of the respiratory movement, in consequence of the rigid contraction of the muscles of the chest, 10.

PULSE

• Pulse somewhat accelerated (in one or two instances), 4.
• Pulse during forty-five seconds remained at 80 (normal), then increased during two minutes and a half, reaching 100, and during the next minute subsided to 80, and at the end of the sitting to 70, 15.
• More intermittence of pulse than usual in favorable anæsthesia, 6.
• Feeble and intermittent pulse, 7.
• Some diminution of the volume of the pulse with the insensibility, 5.

EXTREMITIES IN GENERAL

• Weakness of the limbs, 8.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS. [20.]

• Moderate convulsions (after each of three trials), 10.
• More muscular rigor than usual in favorable anæsthesia, 6.
• He immediately succumbed to its influence, 3.
• Quickly went off to sleep, 13.
• They become partially or wholly insensible, but rapidly recover when brought to the open air, and in ten or fifteen minutes are able to resume their employment, 9.
• Wholly insensible, 6.
• Complete insensibility, lasting several minutes, with some diminution of the volume of the pulse, 5.
• Became totally insensible; on being withdrawn he expressed himself as having had a very fine "drame," 1.
• Asphyxia, with its attendant spasm, 7.
• The insensibility to surrounding impressions was complete, although the eyes were not closed; pinches and the prick of a pin were unnoticed, 2. [30.]
• Entire insensibility to external impressions; a sort of numbness is felt at first, and anæsthesia to pricks and pinches occurs long before the person is insensible; it has not produced sleep as occurs from the use of chloroform, but a kind of trance in which the mind is still active; it acts purely as a sedative, 4.
• Beginning of anæsthesia in twenty-five seconds; in one minute and a half from the first the napkin fell, followed by a few bursts of laughter, then by full anæsthesia, which lasted one minute; in six minutes more he was fully recovered, and walked deliberately out of the room, 15.
• The effects were nearly similar to those he had often experienced from chloroform, but with a greater feeling of buoyancy and less thrilling noise in head, leaving no nausea nor giddiness. Half an hour after he repeated the inhalation, breathing the vapor vigorously for thirty seconds, and then ceased before any effects was perceptible. Immediately the effect began, and continued to increase during fifty seconds, when it gradually declined, and in two minutes more was entirely gone, leaving a sensation or taste in the fauces and about the molars like that from the contact of two metals in the mouth, which wholly subsided in a quarter of an hour. Experiment repeated with like result, 14.
• The first impression is sudden, powerful, and pleasant; almost immediately I passed into a state of pleasurable insensibility, which at no time was perfect; at least there would be responses to the prick of a pin, and the muscles were not quiet, although afterwards I had no recollection of any such thing; I grasped the napkin on which the kerosolene was found with my teeth so strongly that it could hardly be taken away; the stimulus of the vapor penetrated the whole frame, even to the tips of the fingers, .

FEVER

• Some sweating, 3.