The toxicity of 35 hydrocarbon vapors including paraffins, cycloparaffins, unsaturated hydrocarbons, and aromatic hydrocarbons was determined in mice. The paraffins included pentane, hexane (110543), heptane (142825), 2-methylhexane, octane (111659), 2,5-dimethylhexane, and 2,5-dimethyloctane. The aromatic hydrocarbons were the most toxic followed by the unsaturated hydrocarbons, cycloparaffins, and paraffins. The decrease in toxicity was found to be parallel to the decrease in water solubility. It could not be determined whether the low degree of toxicity of paraffin and cycloparaffin vapors were due to the low degree of toxicity of hydrocarbons themselves or mainly to their poor solubility. The low degree of toxicity of hydrocarbons is doubted. Intoxication by paraffin and cycloparaffin vapors are considered to initially stimulate the brain center; later, however, the latter weakens without the spinal cord weakening for a longer period of time. A tension cramp, part of the initial signs of toxicity, is considered due to a sudden weakening of the respiratory center, with sustained or even increased stimulation of the spinal cord. (German; English translation available)
