GKXRRAL MI:TA1'.()LISM— IIORX'ATH and SPURR 



15 



-2«l 

 H*at Conltnl - Colorlct 709 

 TmwInCold — Hour* Control 



Storoge 



Metabolism 



Radlollon and Convection 



^^ 



Time-hrs. 

 Control 



14-24 

 24-28.5 



Ambient Tamo. "C 

 25.0° 

 -80« 

 21 0« 

 18 0' 

 27.0* 



470 

 20 



450 

 25 



Fig. 5. — Heat balance of a dog that was maintained at a rectal temperature between 23.5- 

 26° C. for 24 hours with subsequent recovery. This animal was breathing 100 per cent ox3'gen 

 spontaneously throughout the course of the experiment. Heat content sliould read Cal./M^, 



of adults. The hypothermic cooling of these fat layers and masses to below the solidi- 

 fication point may lead to this necrosis. Several investigators have noted during the 

 progress of hypothermia the presence of isolated hard tissue masses and have felt 

 that these represent "frozen areas." They may well have been nothing more than 

 solidified fat masses. It is interesting that the fat of animals who successfully hiber- 

 nate has unusually low solidification temperatures, namely, their fats remain fluid 

 at low temperatures. This implies the presence of body constituents of unusual 

 physicochemical properties. The use of diets leading to a greater quantity of unsatu- 

 rated body fats may be a valuable adjunct to hypothermic therapy. 



Since the development of hypothermia is usually accompanied by the administra- 

 tion of various drugs, it is necessary to evaluate the relationship between drug action 

 and temperature. Whenever a drug has a high temperature coefficient of action, 

 slight variations in body temperature may be profoundly significant. Alcohol demon- 

 strates this fundamental concept. At temperatures near the normal optimum, a slight 

 rise in temperature markedly increases the potency of a given concentration and 

 conversely a slight fall in temperature decreases the potency. Similarly, the quantity 

 of insulin required to induce convulsions in mice whose body temperature is dropped 



