EFFECTS OF INANITION ON THE BODY AS A WHOLE 



75 



Mattill and Hawk ('09) noted that a puppy aged 1 month lived 6 days with 

 loss of 22 per cent, while adult dogs survived 48-117 days with loss of 53-63 

 per cent. 



In reptiles (serpents), Pellegrin ('01) observed that 10 young Tropidonotus 

 natrix on total inanition survived an average of 36 days with loss of 38 per cent, 

 while 10 on water alone lived 116 davs with loss of 43 per cent. (Adult 

 Pelophilus survived 3-4 years.) 



In amphibia, Swingle ('18) starved yearling tadpoles of Rana catesbiana 

 for 5 months with marked skrinkage of the body (weight undetermined). 



Fig. 33. — From a photograph of a female dog after 60 days of complete total inanition with 

 loss of 49 per cent in body weight. (Falck '75.) 



On incomplete inanition (diet merely restricted in amount), Aron ('n) 

 discovered that growing puppies can be held at maintenance (constant body 

 weight) for several months; but ultimately the amount of food has to be increased 

 so as to permit some increase in body weight, otherwise death from inanition 

 results. Jackson ('15a) similarly observed that albino rats held at maintenance 

 by underfeeding live only about 2 months unless a slight increase in body weight 

 is permitted, and Stewart ('18, '19) found that newborn albino rats can be held 

 at maintenance by underfeeding for only 2-3 weeks. 



Thus the period of survival in growing animals on maintenance diet varies 

 directly with the age. A diet below the maintenance requirement will pro- 

 duce death more rapidly, with actual loss of body weight, while a diet above the 



