Lymph Production and Heat Regulation.

Abstract

Heat regulation in the mammalian body consists of a distinctly correlated reaction of almost all body organs toward changes of external temperature, among which the liver undoubtedly plays a most important rôle.

Changes of liver functions within this general reaction are only measurable from changes in the secretion from liver tissues. In order to draw some conclusions about the intensity of cellular activities, we have made experiments on lymph obtained from a thoracic duct cannula, since thoracic lymph originates almost entirely from the liver. It seemed advisable to test how cold or heat applied to the body surface of dogs would act upon lymph production in order to obtain further insight into the participation of the liver within the mechanism of heat regulation.

After a control period of about 1 hour (during which lymph was collected in 5 minutes samples) heat was applied by warm water bags or electric pads to the shaved abdominal skin while the dog was packed in cotton.

During such periods of heating a diminution could be observed, not only in lymph volume, but also a decrease of the percentage of lymph protein, indicating a possible decrease in cellular activity as well as in tissue permeability.

Application of cold (ice to the dog's skin by packing the animal into the ice mixture) altered the lymph production oppositely. Volume as well as the contents of lymph protein increased markedly under the influence of cold.

One of these tests charted below will best illustrate these correlations between the effect of temperature changes of the body surface and the alteration in lymph production as a manifestation of a simultaneously active liver reaction.