STUDIES IN DIABETES INSIPIDUS, WATER BALANCE, AND WATER INTOXICATION

Abstract

Two years ago we developed a special interest in diabetes insipidus,¹and as a result have been carrying out investigations on patients suffering from this disease. During the course of clinical studies certain observations were made which led to experiments in animals relative to water balance and to water intoxication. In this study we shall report (1) the results of our clinical studies in the fifteen cases of diabetes insipidus observed during the last two years in the Mayo Clinic and in the University Hospital, Minneapolis; (2) the effects on urinary secretion of the subcutaneous injections of the extract of the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland in normal dogs and in dogs which have undergone resection of the renal nerves; and (3) the production of water intoxication by the administration of water by mouth subsequent to the subcutaneous administration of pituitary extract. STUDIES IN DIABETES INSIPIDUS2 Etiology.—We have made