Effects of Temperature on Minimal Metabolism of the Hypothyroid and the Normal Rat

¹ From the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington

The oxygen consumption and rectal temperature of thyroidectomized and intact white rats were measured at 23°C, 28°C and 33°C. The oxygen consumption of the thyroidectomized rats was minimal at 33°C while that of the controls was minimal at 28°C. Rectal temperatures were consistent with the hypothesis that the critical temperature for the thyroidectomized rat is significantly higher than that for the intact animal.