Abstract
In a previous publication 1 attention was called to the fact that the dog prostrate from adrenal insufficiency, with greatly diminished volume of circulating fluid, low arterial pressure, marked hemoconcentration and exhibiting symptoms of severe dehydration and shock, retains large quantities of fluid apparently immobilized within the tissues. This tissue fluid was shown to be sufficient in quantity, when mobilized and shifted to the blood stream under the influence of cortical hormone, to revive the animal from collapse to the point where all symptoms disappear and activity, vigor and appetite return to normal.
The present communication is concerned with the relation of this internal fluid shift to serum sodium and chloride changes.
The dog exhibiting symptoms of adrenal insufficiency is unable to dilute its blood, i. e., shift the tissue fluids to the blood stream to bolster up a failing circulation. However, within a few hours following hormone administration blood dilution occurs, the hemoconcentration decreases along with a rise in arterial pressure, all symptoms disappear and activity and vigor return. Accompanying these changes is a marked diuresis with outpouring of a large volume of urine.
We assumed on the basis of the experiments of Loeb, et al., 2 and Harrop, et al., 3 that the cortical hormone probably mobilized and redistributed sodium and chloride along with the tissue fluids. Investigation of this point, however, reveals that following hormone administration to dogs in severe insufficiency the shift of fluid from tissues to Mood stream occurs despite no elevation of the serum sodium and chloride levels. On the contrary, these electrolytes may even decrease. The essential data obtained from a representative experiment are given in Table I.
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