FREK 17-HYDKOXYCORTICOIDS— BKRNHARD 



179 



action of the adrenal is a fail in the curticosteroid secretion. The relationshi]j be- 

 tween the ascorbic acid level and the corticosteroid secretion of the adrenal is not 

 clear. Bnt in surface coolini;- the initial reaction of the adrenal tt) the cooling is a 

 fall of about 28 per cent in the adrenal ascorbic acid level, and this level remains 

 stable during all the period of the cooling. 



It is interesting to compare the phenomenon in artificial hibernation. Immediately 

 after the injection of drugs such as chlorpromazine or hydergine in association 

 with phenergan and demerol, one observes a fall in ascorbic acid level, 30 to 50 

 per cent, approximately. Immediately after the injection of the drugs the body 

 temperature begins to fall. During the fall in the body temperature we found a 

 gradual return to normal of the adrenal ascorbic acid; the significance of this fact 

 is that cold is not a stress in artificial hibernation. There is a very dififerent reaction 

 in surface cooling. During all the time of cooling v.-e have a 28 per cent lower adrenal 

 ascorbic level. 



Figure 1 shows the adrenal ascorbic acid level in artificial hil)ernation after five 



BASAL ASCORBIC LEVEL 







O 15 



f- 



UJ 



_i 



CL 

 LU 

 Q 



Li_ 

 O 



20 



25 



30 



YZV. 



22. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29° C 



ADRENAL ASCORBIC ACID LEVEL 

 UNDER ARTIFICIAL HIBERNATION 

 AFTER 5 m6 OF ACTH 



Fig. 1. 



