THE ACTION OF LOCALLY APPLIED BARBITURATES ON SKIN OXYGEN TENSION AND RATE OF OXYGEN UTILIZATION

— Barbiturate solutions were applied to skin after removal of the stratum corneum with Sellotape, and skin surface oxygen tension was measured polarographically. These produced a rise in surface oxygen tension of 30–50 mm. Hg. The rate at which surface oxygen tension fell following arterial occlusion gave a measure of the rate of skin oxygen utilization. This was reduced by a factor which could be as large as 8 after application of barbiturate solutions. It is shown that both epidermal and dermal oxygen utilization rates are reduced, and their return to normal depends on skin blood flow.