Supravital Study of Guinea Pig Cochlea Referring Especially to Kanamycin Labyrinthotoxy

The organ of Corti has been studied supra-vitally with neutral red vital dye under normal conditions and during kanamycin intoxication. The absorption of the vital dye is described for both circumstances. Normally the living cell absorbs the substance in question as intraprotoplasmic granules, in large numbers. The inner hair cells take up the dye with greater intensity. The devitalized cells do not absorb it, or else do so in a diffused manner. In animals intoxicated with kanamycin, lack of absorption is observed in the outer hair cells, rarely in the inner ones; furthermore, such phenomena are more pronounced in the lower turns of the cochlea. The reason for this phenomenon is discussed, pointing out the possibility that it might be due to possible anoxia caused by the drug.