Production of Endogenous “Salt-Active” Corticoids as Reflected in the Concentrations of Sodium and Chloride of Thermal Sweat*

THE evidence given in this article appears to be adequate to establish the facts i) that the concentrations of sodium and chloride in sweat are governed by activity of the adrenal cortex, ii) that these concentrations reflect the degree of activity of the “salt-active” corticosteroids (desoxycorticosterone-like1 corticoids), iii) that administration of pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) to normal people is capable of stimulating a simultaneous increase in the production of all three types of physiologically active adrenal corticosteroids, i.e., the DCA-like corticosteroids, the 11 and 11–17 oxysteroids and those excreted as 17-ketosteroids, and iv) that the complicated process of metabolic acclimatization to heat is accomplished by increased secretory activity of the adrenal cortices which have in turn been activated by pituitary adrenocorticotropin. Preliminary observations indicate the probability that the sweat electrolyte pattern can be used in clinical and in experimental medicine as an indication of either diminished or of excessive adrenal production of “salt-active” corticosteroids.