The effect of underfeeding on the percentage of water, on the ether‐alcohol extract, and on medullation in the central nervous system of the albino rat

Abstract

In 1904 Hatai ('04) studied the effects of underfeeding on the growth of the brain and on the percentage of water in the brain of the albino rat.Through underfeeding for 21 days with a diet free from proteids, he was able in one series of rats which were about 55 days old at the beginning of the experiment and weighed 67 gms., to reduce the weight of the brain by 12.8 per cent below that of the controls.Since during this period the brain weight of the controls had increased 7.6 per cent, it is plain that three-fifths of the difference found was due to an arrest of growth, and the remaining two-fifths to an actual loss.1When this series of brains was examined for the percentage of water, the following was found: Percentage of water in controls .......