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Fitch and Tatum' have divided the barbitals into 2 groups based upon the duration of their action and upon the manner in which they cause death. They found that the longer acting barbitals (especially phenobarbital and barbital, ethyl-n-butyl barbital (neonal), isoamyl barbital (amytal) , ethyl iso-propyl barbital (barbituric acid of ipral) , and also iso-propyl brornallyl barbital (noctal) cause death from pulmonary oedema, while the other barbitals, which they group as the short acting barbitals, when injected intraperitoneally in toxic doses cause death from depression.Our finding that there is a marked difference in action of magnesium sulphate when administered to normal and to nephrectomized rabbits and to nephritic patients'> 2p led us to try this method of testing barbital action. Nephrectomy in etherized rabbits was done through a lumbar incision and was greatly accelerated by the use of a specially devised kidney fork. This was made from an ordinary table fork the first and third tynes of which were sawed off cornpletely, the second and fourth being sharpened and bent around to form a semicircle of 3 cm. diameter. This was inserted through the lumbar incision so as to grasp the kidney, the renal pedicle passing through the space left by removal of the third tyne of the fork.A plate of spring phosphor bronze 7 cm. long and 2 cm. wide, sliding on a collar surrounding the handle of the fork was then pressed down so as to grasp the kidney completely, the kidney was drawn up through the incision and the renal pedical ligated. The incision *This research was rendered possible by a grant of funds by the Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc. (Basel, Switzerland, and Nutley, N. J.). The drugs used were kindly furnished by the following firms : Allylisopropylbarbituric acid, Hobmann-LaRoche, Inc. ; Pernocton, Riedel-

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