Pupillary and Circulatory Changes at the Termination of Relaxant Anaesthesia.

Observations have been made of pupil size, as affected by intravenously administered atropine and neostigmine, and by extubation, during reversal of curarization. Pulse rate and blood pressure changes were also recorded. Some degree of mydriasis was observed in 70 per cent of patients after atropine, in 86 per cent after neostigmine, and in 55 per cent at extubation. Pulse rate increased in 88 per cent after atropine and decreased in 86 per cent after neostigmine. Blood pressure rose in 70 per cent after atropine and in 58 per cent after neostigmine. Extubation caused no consistent pulse and blood pressure changes. It was considered that the pupillary changes noted would not be deleterious in intra-ocular surgery.