EFFECTS ON THE SUPRARENAL GLANDS 429 



cated an increased weight in the suprarenals of the fasting guinea pig. An 

 increase was confirmed by Rondoni and Montagnani ('15). Some of the more 

 recent investigations upon the weight in fasting animals will now be considered. 



In adult albino rats on acute inanition (water only) with loss of 33 per cent in 

 body weight, Jackson ('15) found an apparent average increase of 2 per cent 

 in the weight of the suprarenal glands; while in a series on chronic inanition, 

 with loss of 36 per cent in body weight, the suprarenals lost 9 per cent (Table 4). 

 In younger rats, held at constant body weight by underfeeding from 3 to 10 

 weeks of age, Jackson ('15a) noted an increase of 26 per cent in the suprarenal 

 weight. In still younger rats held at birth weight by underfeeding for 16 days, 

 Stewart ('18, '19) found an increase of only 5 per cent in suprarenal weight; but 

 if the underfeeding was continued up to 3 or 10 weeks, with increase of body 

 weight to 10 or 15 g., the suprarenals were found above normal weight 60 and 

 114 per cent, respectively!. (Table 4). In the stunted offspring of underfed 

 pregnant albino rats, Barry ('20, '21) found the suprarenal glands 52 per cent 

 subnormal in weight (for corresponding body weight). As shown in Table 4, 

 this series illustrates how the resistance to loss in organ weight may vary accord- 

 ing to age. 



In albino rats refed for various periods after underfeeding from 3 to 12 

 weeks of age, Stewart ('16) found that the (enlarged) suprarenals lagged behind 

 and lost in relative weight, dropping even below normal during the first month, 

 in agreement with the data of Manassein ('69) for refed rabbits.- Later the 

 glands apparently regained normal weight, however. In albino rats underfed 

 from birth to 3, 6 or 10 weeks, and then refed to 25, 50 or 75 g. in body weight, 

 Jackson and Stewart ('19) found the suprarenals nearly normal in weight, or 

 slightly above (Table 7). In another series refed to maximum (adult) weight 

 after early inanition periods, Jackson and Stewart ('20) noted slightly subnormal 

 weights in those underfed from birth to 3 or 10 weeks, and slightly supernormal 

 weights in those underfed from 3 weeks for long periods (Table 8). 



McCarrison ('19, '21) found the suprarenal glands of fasting pigeons nearly 

 doubled in weight, in spite of a simultaneous decrease of nearly 40 per cent in 

 body weight (Fig. 35). This result was confirmed by Vincent and Hollenberg 

 ('20, '21), who found the suprarenal weight in fasting pigeons doubled in weight 

 in 15 days and nearly doubled in dogs after a longer period. In fasting rats, 

 the suprarenal hypertrophy appeared even greater, thus differing from the 

 results of Jackson ('15). They found the relative average weights (percentage 

 of body weight) for the suprarenals as follows: 



In normal rats: 3 males, 0.0167 P er cent; 3 females, 0.0170 per cent. 



Starved 2-3 days: 2 males, 0.0188 per cent; 3 females, 0.0190 per cent. 

 Starved 10-12 days: 4 males, 0.0565 per cent; 2 females, 0.0600 per cent. 



The changes in the suprarenal gland according to nutrition have recently 

 been reviewed by Castaldi ('22). It does not appear clearly established 

 whether the hypertrophy noted by various authors during ordinary inanition is 

 ■ due to an increase in the cortex, in the medulla, or in both. 



