The purpose of this paper is to clarify the effect of halothane anesthesia on hepatic function of dogs.
Three dogs were anesthetized with 2.5% halothane for 3 hours once a week for 3 weeks. Liver biopsy by abdominal incision was carried out before and after anesthesia. Clinical and blood examination were performed before and the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after anesthesia. Two other dogs were anesthetized with chloroform by the same procedure as a model of anesthetic hepatic dysfunction.
The results obtained were as follows.
Clinical findings: In the halothane group no abnormal changes were observed. In the chloroform group vigor and appetite were reduced for 1 to 3 days after anesthesia.
Blood findings: In both groups erythrocyte count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin decreased gradually. Leukocyte count increased and eosinophyl count decreased temporarily after anesthesia. In the halothone group GOT and GPT were elevated a little after the 1st and 2nd anesthesia. A/G ratio decreased gradually. No distinct changes were shown in cholesterol, blood glucose, BUN, or cholinesterase. In the chloroform group GOT and GPT were elevated remarkably after anesthesia. A gradual reduction was observed in A/G ratio, cholesterol, and cholinesterase.
Histopathologic findings: In the halothane group no remarkable changes were shown. Mild vacuolar degeneration of hepatic cells was noticed in one dog after anesthesia. In the chloroform group fatty changes and hepatic cell necrosis.
From these results it was concluded that no remarkable effect of halothane anesthesia was observed on the hepatic function of dogs, as compared with marked hepatic dysfunc-tion presented after chloroform anesthesia in these studies.

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The rise of liquid temperature gives the ether vapor of high concentration, and the dogs are anethetized easily. However the intervals from the development of excitatory stage to the cessation of respiratory movements and heart sounds are short. Tee interruption of respiratory movements is observed from 30 minutes and that of heart sounds from 60 minutes after inhalation of the ether vapor. On the other hand the fall of liquid temperature gives the vapor of low concentration, and the appearance of abnormal signs in the respiratory movements and the heart strokes is prolonged. So the latter is safer and more dependable.
The observation of respiratory movements is the most dependable guide as a asfety indicator, because the changes in the body temperature are not sensitive enough and the changes of the heart strokes appeare next to those of the respiratory movements.
The direct effects of the ether vapor of higher concentration upon respiratory trusts and lungs are as followings, that is, 1) the goblet cells in the epithelium of trachea and distal bronchi show positive reaction to PAS stains, moreover the desquamation of mucous epithelium, cellular infiltration and edema are found, 2) emphysema and hydropsia of the alveoli are found, besides there are edema, thickning and hyperemia in the walls of the alveoli. Cellular infiltration in the mucous membranes is observed even in the administration of low concentration vapor.
The administration of high concentration vapor develops the serious clinical symptoms.In this case the time that can exercise the emergency treatment is limited very much.
The lung shows histopathological changes by inhalation of both low and high concentra-tion vapor, on the other hand the trachea and bronchi are specifically affected with higher concentration vapor only.
From these findings the concetratioh should be critically determined in the administration of the ether vapor.

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Effects of halothane anesthesia on hepatic functions were studied in adult mongrel 13 dogs. S-GOT and S-GPT were used as the index of the study.
1. In group of S-GOT and S-GPT normal value, they rose slightly.
2. In group of S-GOT normal and S-GPT abnormal value, they rose about twice as much as the preanesthetic level on 7 hours after anesthesia. But S-GOT returned to the normal value in a day, and S-GPT went back to near control level in 4 days after anesthesia.
3. Effects of halothane anesthesia on results of blood examination and clinical finding were scarcely found.
The above-mentioned facts suggest that halothane anesthesia has some effects on the dog of S-GPT abnormal value.

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