STUDIES ON WATER-DRINKING

Abstract

Considerable investigating has been done on the influence of copious water ingestion on the chlorid excretion of fasting animals. The work of Forster 2 is often quoted in this connection. In one instance this investigator increased the urinary chlorid output from 0.175 gm. to 0.992 gm. by causing a dog to ingest 3 liters of water on the eighth day of the fast. This is the most pronounced increase in the chlorid excretion yet reported as following the ingestion of large volumes of water. From a series of investigations on dogs in which different animals were subjected to the influence of external hemorrhage or to the influence of poisoning by phosphorus or by carbon monoxid Kast 3 later came to the conclusion that there was a very close relationship between increased protein catabolism and the augmented chlorin output accompanying such catabolism. Inasmuch as the procedure of Kast rendered his