Abstract
Two castrated male adult dogs—No. 1 thin and very active, and No. 2 fat and inactive—were brought into weight and nitrogen equilibrium on a diet of beef heart, cracker meal, lard, cod liver oil, Wesson's salt mixture, and bone ash. The nitrogen intake of dog No. 1 was approximately 5.60 gm. per day, and of dog No. 2, 7.60 gm. per day. The amount varied somewhat with the nitrogen content of each beef heart, but was always determined by analysis. Periods of 5 days each were used.
The male hormone was prepared according to the Funk and Harrow method 1 and dissolved in olive oil so that 1 cc. of the oil solution was equivalent to 4 liters of urine or 40 bird units (B.U.). The hormone was administered subcutaneously twice per day, in the a.m. and p.m.
The results of 6 experiments are given in Table I.
The results indicate in every experiment a definite and marked retention which is attained in the first injection period and maintained through the injection periods and into the first or second after period. Furthermore, the same effect is produced with the different doses. The latter effect is shown very strikingly by dog No. 2, but not so clearly by dog No. 1 with the exception of experiment No. 1, and possibly No. 3.
Although there is an excess output of nitrogen after cessation of injections, it is not at any time comparable with the amount retained. Also to be noted in this respect is the fact that in both dogs a minus balance is reached sooner after the 60 B.U. than in the other experiments. However, this may not prove to be especially significant.
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