Abstract
Summary
1. The survival rate, and the results of tissue composition are presented for rats showing signs of failure and those surviving the administration of a glucose load per os (2 ml- 50% solution) 60 minutes after epinephrine-pretreatment (0.04 mg/100 g wt) and those which were not pretreated. 2. Signs of mortal failure in a large percentage of the non-pretreated series of rats shortly after glucose per os was associated with a significant increase in the plasma potassium concentration and a significant decrease in the liver potassium composition only. 3. In the epinephrine-pretreated series a large percentage of the rats survived the glucose load per os. It was shown that the level of plasma potassium and the liver potassium concentration were unchanged from the control values. The muscle potassium concentration was found significantly increased after glucose in this series. 4. Representative EKG records of non-protected and epinephrine-protected rats are shown. The EKG changes in the former group are consonant with the analytical results indicating that hyperkalemia was responsible for failure of these animals. 5. The results were discussed as suggestive of: a) the sequence of changes in the non-pretreated series which led to mortal failure and low survival rate shortly after the glucose per os; and b) the possible manner in which epinephrine-pretreatment had altered the metabolic status of these rats before the glucose per os was given and thereby “protected” them from the changes in tissue composition found in the former group.
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