The Effect of 1 Per Cent Cod Liver Oil on the Rat, with Particular Reference to the Thyroid Gland

Abstract

Twenty-five female Wistar albino rats have been fed a well-balanced stock diet from 3 weeks of age to 4 months of age while a similar group has been fed the same diet with 1 per cent cod liver oil added. All the animals were killed and autopsied at 4 months of age. No difference was found between the groups in body growth, body weight, nose-anus length, tail length, incidence of infections, or in the weights of the head, suprarenal glands, hypophysis, thymus or ovaries. The thyroid gland was found to be significantly smaller in those rats which received the diet containing the cod liver oil.