246 FRANK A. HARTMAST 



lowing, it would be well to base our conclusions upon urine flow over long 

 periods of time as Addis did. Moreover, the determination of some con- 

 stituent is Highly important, 



Wels has shown that the injection of 1 mgm. of epinephrin in the 

 human subject diminishes diuresis and also reduces the excretion of NaCl. 



The reduction of urine flow as observed in Cow's perfusion experiments 

 might well be due to massive doses of epinephrin being washed into tho 

 kidney (this is indicated by the decrease in perfusion flow) whereas in 

 the normal animal the physiological amounts of epinephrin reaching the 

 kidney either directly or indirectly might be of the same magnitude as 

 those by the subcutaneous injections of Addis and his coworkers. 



Marshall and Davis have shown quite clearly that the excretory power 

 of the kidney is very much reduced (see p. 330) in animals from which 

 the suprarenals have been removed. The fact that this occurs with a 

 normal blood pressure and while the animal is in excellent physical con- 

 dition indicates that the suprarenals play an important part in renal 

 activity. 



Bevier and Shevky have also shown that removal of the suprarenals in 

 rabbits decreases the excretion of urea. 



Influence on General Metabolism. The effect of epinephrin on metab- 

 olism in its normal physiological amounts is not known. Just how far 

 suprarenal insufficiency is due to epinephrin insufficiency we cannot say. 

 Some believe that epinephrin is not necessary in the organism. However, 

 the influence of epinephrin upon kidney activity and upon the pre- 

 vention of muscular fatigue indicates that this substance may exercise a 

 definite function normally. 



Most of our information concerning the influence of epinephrin upon 

 metabolism is based upon the results from huge doses, amounts far be- 

 yond anything occurring in physiological secretion. Therefore in a dis- 

 cussion of the metabolic effects it must always be kept in mind that the 

 effects may quite easily be abnormal. It is known that very large doses 

 of epinephrin often produce the opposite effect to that from small and 

 more nearly physiological doses, e. g., upon kidney secretion. 



Some authors have been unable to find any change in the metabolism 

 of nitrogen after subcutaneous or intravenous injection of epinephrin into 

 healthy animals (Quest). According to Underbill and Closson epinephrin 

 produces an increase in the excretion of nitrogen in starving animals. 

 Eppinger, Falta and Rudinger found an increase in the metabolism of pro- 

 tein and fats in such animals, this being attributed to an improvement in 

 the thyroid function. 



Sandiford has obtained an increase in the metabolic rate from the 

 subcutaneous injection of 0.5 c.c. of 1:1,000 adrenalin in man. 



Influence on Sugar Metabolism. Blum (a) appears to have first dis- 

 covered that glycosuria is produced from subcutaneous or intravenous in- 



