SODIUM THERAPY OF EXPERIMENTAL TOURNIQUET SHOCK

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Abstract
Expts. on the therapy of shock in 255 albino rats were done using a standardized technique of producing tourniquet shock. These studies led to the following conclusions: Water given by mouth after the release of the tourniquets exerts a sparing action as compared to no-treatment control animals. In similar expts., 1/6 molar Na lactate soln. by mouth exerts a far more striking sparing action. This beneficial effect is not exhibited when equal amts. of 1/6 molar Na lactate soln. are given intraperit. Oral Na lactate in more concentrated form (molar solns. with equal amts. of Na lactate but only 1/6 as much water) exerts a very moderate sparing action about the same as or poorer than that produced by water alone. Thus, the 24 hr. mortalities are: controls (80%), water (50%), molar Na lactate (54%), and Ve molar Na lactate (16%). The respective total 50 hr. mortalities are 93%, 68%, 80%, and 37%. The preceding conclusions would lead to the further premise that the beneficial effects of 1/6 molar Na lactate may be due almost equally to the contained Na salts and to the water, and not to either solute or solvent alone. While these results indicate a definite therapeutic value for Na lactate and for water in tourniquet shock in the rat, they do not attempt to compare the merits of such agents with the clinically proved usefulness of plasma or whole blood transfusions. Furthermore, a search of the literature reveals no instance of exptl. proof that Na salts are superior to whole blood transfusions in the treatment of any type of shock.