Adrenal Cortical and Body Temperature Responses to Repeated Endotoxin Administration

Abstract

Summary

Dogs given large doses of bacterial endotoxin do not become tolerant to either fever producing or adrenal cortical stimulating effects. Dogs receiving small doses of endotoxin readily become tolerant to the fever-producing effect, but either do not become tolerant at all or achieve only partial tolerance to adrenal cortical stimulating properties. The partial adrenal cortical tolerance observed following endotoxin administration probably represents decreased pituitary release of the ACTH rather than tolerance of adrenal cortex itself.