THE EFFECT OF INSULIN ON DECEREBRATE AND DECAPITATE CATS

Abstract

Olmsted and Logan had previously concluded that hyperglycemia persisted in decerebrate cats (in contradistinction to decapitate cats) on account of the presence of the pituitary body. This conclusion was contradicted by Bazett et al. The present work showed that the high blood sugar in decerebrate cats bears no relation to the presence or absence of the pituitary. The effect is related, as Bazett suggested, to injury of the brain stem. Autopsy in many cases showed a clot on the medulla. Decapitate as well as decerebrate cats had convulsions after insulin when the blood sugar fell to 45 mgm. %, whereas Olmsted and Logan had maintained that in decapitate cats convulsions do not occur at this blood sugar level. In several cases, the onset of convulsions was delayed for a considerable period after the blood sugar had fallen to 45 mgm. %.