DIETARY "SELF-SELECTION" AND APPETITES OF UNTREATED AND TREATED ADRENALECTOMIZED RATS

Abstract

Glucose, salt mixture, yeast, and casein were offered in 4 feeders, and 3% NaCl, water, and a mixture of corn oil and codliver oil from 3 drinkers; Several rats were caged together, daily intakes were recorded until constant, after which adrenalectomy was performed, and subsequent intakes recorded, followed by adrenal cortical hormone therapy. An increased voluntary selection and beneficial effect of NaCl, reversed by adrenal cortical hormone therapy were confirmed, but, under the conditions, adrenalectomy did not affect the intake of protein, carbohydrate, fat, yeast, or salt mixture. When diets were made up which, according to observations of others, should have shown changes in self-selection due to the poor condition of the adrenalectomized animals, no changes were observed on appetite, body wt., voluntary in-take of salt soln., or survival after withholding of salt soln., even though adrenalectomy led to an increased salt intake.