Comparison of the electroencephalographic patterns during steroid and barbiturate narcosis.

A STEROID compound 21-hydroxy-preghalf to one hour prior to anaesthesia. A nane-3, 20-dione sodium succinate 4-litre to 2-litre flow of nitrous-oxide (Viadril) has been used as an intravenous oxygen was administered during the placeanaesthetic. The changes in the electroencephalogram produced by this agent have been observed by Boyan et al. (1955) to be similar to the changes reported by Kiersey et al. (1951) with thiopental sodium narcosis. This study was undertaken to compare the electroencephalographic pattern of Viadril with that of shortand ultra-shortacting barbiturates and at the same time establish criteria for judging the depth of narcosis for these agents by employing the electroencephalograph. For comparison with Viadril ethyl-1, methyl butyl barbituric acid (pentobarbitone); isoamylethyl-thio-barbituric acid (thiamylal); and an (N-) substituted barbiturate N-methyl cyclohexanyl methyl-barbituric acid (hexobarbitone) were selected.