WATER METABOLISM OF THE CHICKEN (GALLUS DOMESTICUS) WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE RÔLE OF THE CLOACA

Abstract

The daily consumption of food and water and wt. fluctuations of normal birds were studied. Following this control period, artificial anuses were created in some of the birds, while the ureters of others were exteriorized. Water intake of some with artificial anuses increased immediately after the operation but returned to the control a short time later. When the fistulous birds were given 1% salt in the diet, only occasional increases of water intake were noted, while if salt was not added to the diet, an increase of water intake always occurred. There is no satisfactory explanation for this paradox. Without salt fistulous birds lost wt. and eventually died, with evidences of extreme depletion of body water. 1% salt was sufficient to maintain the birds indefinitely. Fistulous birds lost wt. more rapidly than controls when drinking water was withheld, indicating that normally some water is reabsorbed from the rectum. With adequate salt intake, birds that had exteriorized ureters behaved exactly like those that had artificial anuses. The normal volume of urine varied from 50 to 180 cc./day. Water lost in feces was usually about 10% of the water ingested. Vaporization from the lungs accounted for 110-144 cc. of water/day. Each g. of uric acid eliminated was accompanied by 30-160 cc. of water.