Advances in Virus Research

enzymes. Also, the problems of local circulation and capillary distribution were considered in relation to vulnerability of certain areas, i.e., Ammon's horn. The remaining three papers presented material concerned directly with pharmacological studies. These were: studies of the electrical activity of the brain in relation to anesthesia by Mary A. B. Brazier, the ascending reticular system and anesthesia by Horace W. Magoun, and observations on new central nervous system convulsants by Carl C. Pfeiffer. The first two papers reviewed mainly the electrical aspects of the effects of anesthesia. Brazier presented in detail the various electroencephalographic changes that occur under anesthesia especially with barbiturates, showed some of the differences between surface and depth recording, and the electrical responses to sensory stimulation, especially photic. Magoun emphasized the ascending reticular formation in the brain stem concerned with the electroencephalographic arousal reaction as the pathway involved in general anesthesia rather than the classical somatic afferent sensory pathways. The "reticular route" to the cortex is regarded as quite susceptible to anesthetic agents because of its multisynaptic organization. The report on new CNS convulsants by Pfeiffer included a presentation of two interesting new drugs. One, acridone, is fluorescent and its distribution in the nervous system may be studied after administration. The other, one of a group of convulsant hydrazides has a well-defined action, being convulsant by virtue of inducing a pyridoxine deficiency. It is hoped that further studies of these drugs might develop information concerning the metabolic basis of neuronal excitability. In the discussion of this material there was brief reference to the effects of hormones on central nervous system function and the psychological effects of lysergic acid or LSD 25. It should be noted that table 16 is presented quite out of place between pages 80 and 81, belonging rather between pages 182 and 183. This conference, therefore, primarily considered certain introductory, basic aspects in the field of neuropharmacology and only two special drug effects, the anesthetic and the convulsant. This field is becoming increasingly wider and more significant, and it is hoped that in further conferences other problems will be considered, especially those concerning anti-convulsants, drugs involved in neuromuscular transmission, drugs affecting the autonomic nervous system, and finally the drugs and other substances such as hormones which produce definite psychological effects such as the adrenal steroids, mescalin, LSD 25, the Rauwolfia substances, and chlorpromazine. This present volume is recommended as an introduction and initial critique and it is hoped that the future conferences will uphold this first standard.