Inhibition of renal secretion following injury in the neighborhood of the colliculi.

Desiring to obtain some data on the output of certain urinary constituents in dogs during short intervals of time, we thought we could get rid of the influence of anesthetics by decerebration. However, we were greatly surprised to find that on decerebration, the flow of urine ceased, although there had been a good flow previously. There was no material alteration of blood pressure and respiration was kept up. Subsequent investigation showed this to be a constant phenomenon. Under normal conditions, after decerebration, there are a few drops of urine at the previous rate, and then a marked slowing in the rate amounting in most cases to a stoppage, and lasting as long as the experiment, in one case, seven hours after decerebration.

In our experiments, dogs have been used exclusively. They were given morphine and ether. Cannulae were inserted into the ureters close to bladder and the flow of urine recorded by allowing the drops of urine to fall on a lever which closed a circuit and thus recorded the flow by means of an electromagnet. Blood pressure was recorded from the left carotid, and the right carotid and the two vertebrals were usually ligated or clamped. The skull was trephined and the urine output recorded this way for a time. A few results may be given. Thus one kidney which produced 75 drops of urine in the thirty minute period previous to decerebration, produced 9 drops in the following thirty minutes. Another kidney which produced 138 drops in 30 minutes previous to decerebration, produced only 24 drops during 30 minutes following decerebration. Another kidney which formed 49 drops in 15 minutes previous to decerebration produced only 9 drops in the following 35 minute period.