WATER METABOLISM IN WATER INTOXICATION<subtitle>Review of Basic Concepts</subtitle>

Abstract

<h3>HISTORY</h3> IN HIS classic study of the effects on mammals of the administration of excessive quantities of water, Rowntree¹stated that physiologists were apparently the first to notice the toxicity of fresh water for lower orders of life. In 1866 Bert²ascribed the toxic effect of fresh water for the mullet to the difference in osmotic pressure between fresh water and sea water, the former causing the tissues to absorb water in excess. In 1904 Bullot³proved the toxicity of distilled water for the fresh-water grammarus and also found that the addition of sodium chloride, sufficient to yield 0.000008-molar salt solution, was effective in overcoming the toxicity. In 1921 Miller and Williams⁴studied the effect of excessive intake of water, clinically, on the blood pressure and nonprotein nitrogen in the blood of three patients with renal disease who were given 5 to 15 liters of water