1. 1. In selected cases of chronic asthma in children, the ingestion of potassium chloride lead to a diuresis which did cause a loss of sodium from the body. 2. 2. In the majority of the periods of observation, this situation was associated with an apparent improvement in the severity of the asthmatic symptoms. 3. 3. On the other hand, the disease was aggravated by the retention of sodium and the excretion of potassium which occurred with the ingestion of sodium chloride and the administration of adrenal cortex extract and desoxycorticosterone acetate.