British anti-lewisite

Abstract

ARSENICAL VESICANTS AND SKIN RESPIRATION 529 generalized denaturant or coagulant effect on the skin proteins.Although the evidence presented above is insufficient to warrant a firm conclusion that vesication is initiated by this respiratory defect, yet, since pyruvate oxidation is known to be a fundamental stage in the energy-yielding reactions of many animal cells, it is felt that inactivation of carbohydrate metabolism at this stage may repre- sent a biochemical lesion sufficiently severe to account for grave alterations in the functions of the capillary endothelial cells.It should be pointed out that the defect in pyruvate metabolism is certainly present at an early stage in the development of the skin lesion, although no evidence has as yet been obtained that it actually precedes the development of visible oedema, since, by the time respiratory measurements were actually begun, using the skin removed 5 min.after contamination, it might be argued that oedema would also have been present had the skin still been on the animal.SUMMARY 1.The effect of low concentrations of sodium arsenite and lewisite on the respiration of rat skin slices in the presence of pyruvate and succinate has been studied.2. Under the conditions used, addition of these arsenicals caused a marked inhibition of the small extra oxygen consumption due to pyruvate (86-100 %), but only a slight effect on succinate oxida- tion (0-19 %).3. The respiration of skin contaminated in vivo with lewisite has been compared with that of normal skin slices.In the contaminated skin there was again a marked inhibition of pyruvate oxidation but no significant inhibition of succinate oxidation.4. The significance of these changes to the pathogenesis of vesication is briefly discussed.