THE EFFECTS OF DEFICIENT WATER-INTAKE ON THE GROWTH OF THE RAT

Abstract

Of 12 young rats 23-47 days old (1 litter of 5 [female] albinos, 1 of 4 [male] hybrids and 1 of 3 [female] hybrids), 2 were used as normal controls, receiving unrestricted food and water, and remaining active and healthy throughout the 223 days of experiment. The 7 experimental rats were held at nearly constant body weight for several mos. by a restricted water intake, food being unrestricted. The water requirements decreased up to the 2nd or 3rd mo. of the experiments, after which they tended to increase slightly; the food consumption was roughly parallel with the water intake. These rats became emaciated and the organs became dehydrated and dystrophic. The remaining 3 rats were used as "restricted food controls," being given the same amount of food as that voluntarily consumed by the corresponding experimental rats, but unrestricted water; they gained 33-98% in weight; they became emaciated and dehydrated, but to a less degree than the corresponding test rats, thus demonstrating the importance in growth of the water intake, independent of the food consumption.