The Effect of Certain Ionic Interactions on the Water Metabolism of Chicks ,

THE IMPORTANCE of sodium and potassium, and the ratio of these ions, in water metabolism has been appreciated for some time. While Richards et al. (1927) have shown the essentiality of sodium and potassium, the ingestion of high levels of either element has been shown to induce loose droppings and to be toxic to chicks when higher levels were fed (Mitchell et al, 1926; Kare and Biely, 1948; Lenkeit and Stahn-Taupitz, 1954). However, in certain other species there seems to be an antagonistic action of one element on the other which reduces the looseness of the droppings and the toxicity to the animal. The toxicity of KCl in mice was decreased by the simultaneous administration of NaCl (Emmens and Marks, 1942). Ray and Talapatra (1945) noted a considerable reduction of diuresis when cattle fed molasses were allowed free access to salt, suggesting a possible interaction between potassium and sodium. Merril …