The Respiratory Depressant Action of N-Allylnormorphine in the Normal Subject and in Patients with Respiratory Acidosis Secondary to Pulmonary Emphysema

N-ALLYLNORMORPHINE (Nalline), a substance that has been amply shown to counter-act the respiratory depression caused by morphine and related compounds, has received little attention as a respiratory depressant in its own right. Eckenhoff et al.1 demonstrated in 5 normal subjects that Nalline alone caused depression in respiratory minute volume but had little effect on the rate of breathing. This observation is important in the light of the recent suggestion that Nalline may be useful in combating the respiratory depression in severe respiratory acidosis not related to drug intoxication.2 The present report is an analysis of the respiratory effects of small . . .