Effects of Obscure Lesions on Organ Weights of Apparently Normal Rabbits

A group of 350 normal rabbits was studied with reference to the occurrence of obscure lesions of various kinds and the probable or possible effect of such lesions or disease processes on organ weights. The results of the investigation are presented in the form of comparative tabulations. It was found that so long as the animals remained in apparently good health the values obtained for organ weights of animals with lesions did not differ materially from those for animals that were entirely free from lesions. There were, however, slight deviations from the normal which appeared to be significant in that they suggested a functional response similar in character to the more marked changes in mass and mass relationships that occur in rabbits presenting clinical symptoms of disease due to the same causes.