Effect of osmotic and mercurial diuresis on simultaneous water diuresis.

A VARIETY of mechanisms have been proposed to explain the dilute urine excreted in water diuresis. Cushny (I) and Smith (2) may be consulted for references to the older literature. Theoretical concepts which have been current in recent years will be considered in more detail in the discussion at the end of this paper. The experiments reported here were devised to test the degree to which water diuresis is independent of large changes in urine flow and solute and water reabsorption in the nephron. In 15 experiments, water diuresis was combined with various grades of osmotic (urea) diuresis. In four experiments, water diuresis was combined with mercurial diuresis. In two experiments, water diuresis was superimposed on a combined osmotic and mercurial diuresis.