In the course of experimentation on gallstone formation,1 it was noted that animals under ether anesthesia showed a higher blood cholesterol value than they did preceding the anesthesia. The literature on this point was in some respects meager, and was conflicting. Therefore, experiments were carried out in an attempt to determine the amount and the extent of change in blood cholesterol under various anesthetics.
Bloor2 reported a rise in blood fat (in which all the lipoid constituents shared) of from 40 to 100 per cent in dogs under ether anesthesia. The rate of rise was most marked during the first hour. Using chloroform, Bloor found no rise in blood cholesterol unless the dog was previously stuffed with fat. Then there was a sharp rise. He noted an "after rise" from chloroform two or three days later. Both morphine and ethyl alcohol produced a slight or no increase in