Studies on adrenal insufficiency.

Abstract

Duration of survival after adrenalectomy.—The adrenals were removed in 36 dogs, an interval being left between the removal of the right and left. In 7 of these animals intravenous injections of Ringer's solution with dextrose added were given, usually once in the 24 hours.

Of the 29 animals which received no injection, one suffered from respiratory difficulties from the time of the second operation till its death after 31/2 days. The lungs were found congested. One dog died on the fourth day, a stitch abscess breaking into the peritoneal cavity. One dog died 26 hours after the second operation with extensive consolidation and œdema of the lungs. The remaining 26 dogs showed at autopsy no pathological changes sufficient to account for death, apart from those which are described below as associated with adrenal insufficiency. One of these animals survived the second operation for 15 days; another (in advanced pregnancy) died on the 16th day. Two died on the 10th day; 2 lived 8 days; 4 lived 7 days; 5 lived 6 days; 2 lived 5 days; 6 lived 4 days. Two died on the third day, and one lived 2 days. As our results are so different from those emphasized in the literature, it must be stated distinctly that the removal of the adrenals was complete in all our dogs as verified both at operation and post mortem. No accessory adrenals were found by careful macroscopic search in any of our dogs.

Of the 7 injected dogs, one is alive on the 28th day after removal of the second adrenal (having given birth to 6 pups on the 16th day, two of which are alive and being excellently nursed by the mother).