Measurement of the Circulation Time with Saccharin

Among the methods used for the measurement of the circulation time in man are those in which a foreign substance is injected into a vein and the time of its arrival in the capillaries of the tongue is signalled by a sensation of taste. Winternitz, Deutsch, and Bruell1 have used the interval between the intravenous injection of sodium dehydrocholate and the appearance of a bitter taste as a measure of the circulation time. Both they and Tarr, Oppenheimer, and Sager (personal communication) have obtained excellent results in the clinical application of the method.We have found that soluble saccharin (sodium benzosulphinid) is admirably adapted to the estimation of the circulation time between the antecubital veins and the capillaries of the tongue. Soluble saccharine possesses the following advantages: 1. It stimulates the taste buds in very high dilution. 2. It is very soluble, so that only a small volume of solution is needed. This is important because the injection can be performed rapidly and the saccha...