Solution drinking in rats after dehydration and after hemorrhage

¹ Department of Physiology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York

Dehydrated rats prefer a solution of sodium chloride (78.5 mEq/liter) and an equivalent solution of sodium bicarbonate to water but they have an aversion to a solution containing an equivalent concentration of potassium chloride and to sodium chloride in a concentration of 314 mEq/liter. They also prefer fat-free milk to water. Animals subjected to hemorrhage equivalent to about 45% of their blood volume made no attempt to drink more fluid than control animals during the 3-hr period of observation.