Physiologic Factors Which Influence Acidophilia Induced by Stressors in the Chicken

Abstract

Application of cold (4°C) together with wetness, acute anoxia, restraint or injection of saline (0.2 ml), epinephrine (0.2 mg), histamine (0.2 mg), or formaldehyde (0.2 ml, 40%) was followed by an acidophilia in white leghorn cockerels within 4–8 hours; acidophilia which followed injection of cortisone, hydrocortisone, desoxycorticosterone and aldosterone is consistent with the supposition that the above stressors activate the adrenocortical tissue of the chicken. Hypophysectomy markedly inhibited but did not wholly prevent the acidophilia which followed restraint therefore a nonpituitary factor is probably involved in stressor-induced acidophilia. This latter factor could be epinephrine but is probably not histamine since prior injection of antihistaminic agents did not inhibit restraint-induced acidophilia.