EXPERIMENTAL SODIUM LOSS ANALOGOUS TO ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY: THE RESULTING WATER SHIFT AND SENSITIVITY TO HEMORRHAGE

Abstract

In [7] normal dogs made to lose Na without a concomitant loss of water or K by injection of isotonic glucose into the peritoneal cavity, and later withdrawing an equal volume of fluid after ionic equilibration had taken place, a marked fall in the concn. of serum Na and in the serum osmotic pressure occurred. A shift of water into tissue cells in order to maintain osmotic equilibrium resulted in a marked depletion of the extracellular fluid, as shown by increase in serum sp. gr., and fall in arterial blood pressure. The dogs were extremely sensitive to hemorrhage due to this depletion of extracellular fluid, the loss of 6-7 cc. per kgm. of blood reducing the blood pressure to shock level. The similarity between these findings and those in adrenalectomized dogs indicates that a similar water shift occurs in the latter animals.