Evelyn Anderson . ^ 



to drink, a second group received 0.5 per cent sodium chloride solution, ;iii(l 

 a third group received 1.0 per cent sodium chloride solution. The fasted adre- 

 nalectomized rats on tap water survived an average of 8.5 days postoperatively, 

 which was about one-third the survival time of the control rats (sham adrenal- 

 ectomized rats on tap water). The urinary nitrogen was decreased 25 per cent 

 below that of the controls. The giving of i.o per cent sodium chloride 

 enabled adrenalectomized rats to survive 17 days postoperatively, which was 

 double the survival period of the adrenalectomized rats on tap water and ap- 

 proached the survival period (23 days) of the control rats. The urinary nitro- 

 gen was decreased only 17 per cent below that of the control group. The data 

 on the adrenalectomized rats receiving 0.5 per cent sodium chloride to drink 

 showed that, although benefit is derived from a lower salt intake, it is not 

 equal to that obtained when an optimal amount of salt is taken. Since the 

 adrenalectomized animal given sodium chloride solution has a greater pro- 

 tein breakdown during fasting than a similar rat given tap water instead of 

 salt solution, and survives for a longer period, it would seem that the salt 

 treatment has restored to a slight degiee the animal's capacity for gluco- 

 neogenesis. 



8. Miscellaneous Functions Partially Restored in Salt-Treated 



Adrenalectomized Animals 



Ingle^^ found that adrenalectomized rats which were maintained on a diet 

 high in sodium and low in potassium performed more work than adrenalec- 

 tomized rats on a standard diet; however, the work performance of both 

 groups of adrenalectomized rats was very small compared to that of animals 

 with intact adrenals. 



It has been shown by Koneff, Holmes and Reese'" that the administration 

 of 1.0 per cent sodium chloride solution to adrenalectomized rats prevents 

 the cytological changes in the anterior pituitary which are characteristic of 

 adrenal insufficiency, namely degranulation of acidophils and degeneration 

 of basophils. 



Adrenalectomized dogs maintained in good condition with sodium salts 

 have been found by Brownell and Hartman'" to have a normal basal meta- 

 bolic rate. Crafts*^ showed that the hemoglobin of adrenalectomized rats given 

 1.0 per cent sodium chloride fell during the first 10 days postoperatively and 

 then rose until on the twentieth day after operation it was "only slightly less 

 than normal." It remained there for the duration of the experiment which Avas 

 50 days after adrenalectomy. 



Both male and female adrenalectomized rats given 1.0 per cent sodium 

 chloride remain fertile. The female rats are able to support a normal preg- 

 nancy. Griffiths'^ found that female rats so treated were able to lactate suffi- 

 ciently to keep a small number of their litters alive until weaning, but tlic 

 growth of the surviving young was subnormal. 



