Ionic Migration of Bismuth in Different Bismuth Products Under Different Conditions.

Abstract

Cerebral and spinal fluid penetration has not been established with certainty for all products of bismuth, and the efficacy of bismuth in cerebrospinal syphilis has been asserted and denied. It is conceivable that the variations here might be related to the amphoteric character of the metal which would vary with the product used. That is, penetration and activity might be favored by anionic bismuth, in accordance with the well-known composition of cerebrospinal fluid in which anions exist in relatively higher concentration than cations, and with the well-known appearance of the anions bromide, iodide and salicylate in this fluid. Correlated with these phenomena are the demonstrated penetration of the anionic bismuth compounds, sodium bismuthate and sodium iodobismuthite, and the negative or undependable penetration of the cationic bismuth products, bismuth metal, bismuth salicylate and potassium bismuth tartrate, previously reported from this laboratory. Since the ionic character of bismuth in iodobismuthite only had been established in our previous work, the other products having been accepted on theoretical grounds, it appeared desirable to establish experimentally the ionic character of bismuth in various products under different conditions. Some of these products are claimed to penetrate the brain, and have been accepted for New and Non-official Remedies since our original work. Six different products of bismuth were tried, in aqueous solution (really after hydrolysis of some products), in special media such as 25% sucrose (bismuth sodium tartrate), 6% dextrose (bismuth metal) and ethylene glycol and alcohol (sodium iodobismuthite) and in dialyzed and natural horse serum. The bismuth-mixture was introduced into a convenient glass U-tube of 10 cc. capacity up to the level of the stop-cocks, one in each arm. Both cathode and anode chambers were filled with a non-conducting fluid, i. e., distilled water, one of the special media mentioned above, or serum.