The present author examined the mechanism of body temperature regulation from the aspect of metabolism, measuring with Warburg's manometer the tissue respiration in the liver and brain of rabbit and rat when their body temperature was being changed under various conditions, and checked the mode of action of various substances whether direct or indirect to the tissue.
(1) During the fevering by T.T.G. (polysaccharide fraction of a non-pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens) or typhoid vaccine, the oxygen consumption in the brain was increased directly, whereas in the liver indirectly.
(2) At lowered body temperature induced by aminopyrine or chlorpromazine, as well as in the cold room, the oxygen consumption in the liver showed indirect increase, which seemed to be compensatory for heat loss, and especially chlopromazine decreased directly the oxygen consumption in the brain.
(3) When body temperature was raised in the hot room, the oxygen consumption in the brain and liver decreased.
(4) Though aminopyrine or chlorpromazine could inhibit the fevering by typhoid vaccine, it could not inhibit the increase of oxygen consumption in the liver which had been induced by the pyrogen.
(5) For the fevering by typhoid vaccine, and its accompanying increase of oxygen consumption in the liver, and for the lowered body temperature in the cold room and its compensatory increase of oxygen consumption in the liver, the cauterization or extirpation of the adrenals showed stronger inhibitory action than extirpation of the thyroid and cutting of the abdominal sympathetic nerves (or blocking with chlorpromazine).
(6) Among the above stated chemoregulating actions of the adrenals, that of cortical hormones, especially of glucocorticoid was strongest and medullary hormones showed moderate action.