Iceberg Size (km) Latitude/longitudeSince the publication of the second edition of our Illustrated glossary of snow and ice (Cambridge, Scott Polar Research Institute, 1973) a number of suggestions have been made for additions and alterations. We invite comments on the following new terms and definitions, either informally or to be published as letters to the Editor. These terms are considered necessary for convenient description of features which occur in the polar regions. ICEBERGA large mass of floating or stranded ice of greatly varying shape, usually more than 5 m above sea level, which has broken away from a glacier. (The word 'usually' has been added to the existing definition in order to include tabular bergs originating from low ice shelves.) * Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge CB2 1ER. t British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge CB3 0ET.

No abstract

The protection to sarin poisoning afforded mice by treatment with N-methylpyridinium-2-aldoxime methanesulphonate (P-2-S) in combination with each of 34 cholinolytic compounds used as substitutes for atropine sulphate has been assessed. Twenty-two of the drugs examined in the mouse at a dosage of 50 μmoles/kg gave protection equal to or greater than that afforded by atropine sulphate. The most potent drug was 4′-N-methylpiperidyl 1-phenylcyclopen-tanecarboxylate hydrochloride (G-3063), which was 2.3-fold as effective as atropine sulphate.l-2′-Diethylaminoethyl α-cyclohexyl-α-2″-thienyl glycolate d-bitartrate (Win 5779-6),2′ -diethylaminoethyl 1-phenylcyclopentanecarboxylate hydrochloride (Parpanit), and l-tropyl α-methyltropate hydrochloride were 1.8-, 1.5-, and 1.4-fold as effective, respectively. Eighteen of the compounds were examined in the rat, with 11 showing potency equal to or greater than that shown by atropine sulphate. In this species the most potent drugs were G-3063, which had 4.0 times the activity of atropine sulphate, Win 5779–6 (4.8-fold), and atropine methanesulphonate, followed by 1-cyclohexyl-1-(2′-thienyl)-3-(1″-piperidyl)-propanol-1 hydrochloride (Win 12085) and Parpanit.

A method of protection against poisoning by cholinesterase inhibitors involving the use of N-methyl pyridinium-2-aldoxime methanesulphonate (P-2-S) orally, prior to exposure to the anticholinesterase agent, in combination with intramuscularly administered atropine sulphate after exposure, has been examined. In rats poisoned with O,O-diethyl S-2-diethylaminoethyl phosphorothiolate (DSDP), the treatment permitted survival from a dose of 28 times the LD50 in untreated animals. The protection given by oral P-2-S lasts for an extended period of time decreasing to one half the maximum value in about 4 hours. Mice, guinea pigs, and rabbits so treated demonstrated a high tolerance to DSDP but of lower order than the rat. Treatment with oxime and atropine afforded protection to mice and rats exposed to paraoxon, vinylphosphate, isosystox, DFP, TEPP, and eserine, but was relatively impotent against sarin, tabun, and schradan. The possible application of this mode of treatment to human exposures to anticholinesterase agents is discussed.