QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lee, R. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Lee, R. C.

Relationship Between Insensible Loss of Weight and Heat Production of the Rabbit

One Figure

Nutrition Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Boston, Massachusetts

Sixty-eight simultaneous measurements of the insensible loss of weight and the heat production of twelve adult rabbits, at 28° to 29°C., after fasting 24 hours at 28°C., showed that there was a relationship between these factors. This relationship was not measurably affected by variations in humidity in the range of 40 to 80%. Shortly after feeding, the relationship changed slightly. Fluctuations of the relationship could not be correlated with changes in normal body temperature. Between the limits of 1.5 and 5.0 gm. of insensible loss per hour, the relationship was a straight-line function that can be expressed by the equation H = 1.45L + 2.32 in which H equals kg.-calories per hour and L, grams of insensible loss per hour. The standard deviation of the percentage differences of the measured heat production from the heat production calculated from the insensible loss by this equation is ±8.9%. Measurement of the rabbit's insensible loss of weight under the conditions set forth will give approximate values for the probable heat production prevailing at the time of measurement but will not replace exact measurements of the respiratory exchange. The heat lost by vaporization of water, as shown by indirect calculation, averaged 24.6% of the measured heat production.