THE INFLUENCE OF ACUTE HYPOTHERMIA ON THE RATE OF OXYGEN CONSUMPTION AND GLYCOGEN CONTENT OF THE LIVER AND ON THE BLOOD GLUCOSE

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Abstract
Adult albino rats, lightly anesthetized with Na pentobarbital, were cooled until breathing ceased. Liver samples for the detn. of glycogen content and O2 con-sumption were taken before cooling and again at termination. Blood glucose was detd. during the course of cooling. The O2 consumption of liver, expressed on a glycogen-free basis, was not significantly decreased as the result of cooling except in 5 animals in which asphyxia probably occurred. Liver glycogen was rapidly utilized during the period of hypothermia. In animals provided with ample stores of carbohydrate at the initiation of cooling, blood glucose increased during the early phases of hypothermia and remained elevated. In fasted animals and in slowly-cooled fed animals the blood glucose was maintained or fell during the course of cooling. Animals fasted 24 hrs. could be cooled to a mean rectal temp. of 9.6[degree]C. before respiration ceased, while those permitted previous access to food could be cooled only to 14.3 [degree]C. before respiratory arrest occurred.

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