INSENSIBLE WATER LOSS IN RELATION TO WATER INGESTION IN MAN

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Abstract
A study was made of the effect upon the rate of insensible perspiration in normal human individuals of (1) drinking water; (2) drinking saline; (3) ingesting sucrose; (4) injecting pituitrin, alone, and following the drinking of large volumes of water; (5) dehydrating the subject. Losses of body weight were measured during 50 exps. in many successive short periods of time with a Sauter balance. Ingestions of water, 1% salt solutions, and injections of pituitrin alone, failed to increase significantly either insensible perspiration or skin temp. Ingestions of sucrose invariably produced marked increases of both insensible perspiration and skin temp. Ingestions of water, if followed by injections of pitutrin within \ hr., produced variable results, 6 out of 8 expts., however, showing temporarily increased rates of insensible perspiration. Dehydrations amounting to more than 6% of the total body water lowered the rate of insensible perspiration. The data indicate that the insensible perspiration is generally a means of heat-regulation rather than water-regulation.