Effects of Metabolic Disturbances in Infants 159 



Despite the marked differences between adults and infants 

 in some of the physiological constants which have been men- 

 tioned, these functions are certainly nicely adjusted to each 

 other even in the infant, and his defence mechanisms are 

 fully capable of meeting the normal demands upon them. 

 When put under stress, however, the fragility of the whole 

 system which maintains body fluid homeostasis is exposed. 



Fig. 4. 



Vo 

 25 



20 



15 

 10 



Infant Adult Infant Adult 



Significance of "equal" losses when expressed 

 per unit of body surface. 



Under pathological conditions the consequences of the 

 peculiar interrelationship of these functions are as follows : 



(a) Water or salt loads calculated according to surface area 

 will, in relation to total body water content, be double the 

 values of the adult. The same holds true for loss of water, 

 equal losses per unit of surface area being twice as high in the 

 infant in proportion to the body water (Fig. 4). 



