THE EFFECT OF SHIVERING ON THE RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT IN PANCREATIC DIABETES

¹ Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Canada

1. Shivering in response to cold raises the respiratory quotient and the oxygen consumption of normal and depancreatised dogs to a similar extent. Since no disturbance of the acid-base equilibrium of the organism can be detected, the raised respiratory quotient points to an increase in oxidation of carbohydrate.

2. The increase in R.Q. is marked at the beginning of shivering, but returns later towards the basal level although the increased oxygen consumption is still maintained. This is interpreted as indicating that oxidation of preformed carbohydrate is the only process which is stimulated when the shivering starts, but that a process of gluco-neo-genesis sets in later and thus depresses the quotient although as much carbohydrate is still being oxidised.