A Note on Kidney Size in Chronic Hypovitaminosis C.

Male albino guinea-pigs of initial body-weight 250 g were used throughout. The experimental conditions, diet and dosing technique were those previously described (Evans & Hughes, 1963). Paired feeding between the normal and the ‘scorbutic’ groups was not practised, as the levels of ascorbic acid given daily (8 and 0.4 mg, respectively) have been shown to have no marked effect on food intake (Evans & Hughes, 1963). Three experiments were done. Expt I . The mean kidney weights were compared in groups of five guinea-pigs that had received 8 mg or 0.4 mg ascorbic acid daily for 3 5 days. Expt 2. The mean kidney weights, adrenal weights and adrenal ascorbic acid concentrations were compared in groups of five guinea-pigs that had received 8 mg or 0.4 mg ascorbic acid daily for 28 days. Expt 3. The mean kidney weights were compared in groups of five guinea-pigs that had received 8 or 0.4 mg ascorbic acid daily for 28 days. A third group of five guinea-pigs was included. These were kept under strictly comparable conditions and were placed on experiment 3 weeks after the first two groups. They received S mg ascorbic acid daily and were killed when the body-weights corresponded to the final body-weights of the guinea-pigs receiving 0.4 mg ascorbic acid daily. All the guinea-pigs were killed by beheading. The kidneys were dissected out and, after removal of the renal capsule, dried between filter paper and weighed. The adrenal ascorbic acid was determined as previously described (Evans & Hughes, 1963).