A Simple Respirometer for Small Animals

Abstract

IN the course of some work carried on in this laboratory, it became necessary to devise an apparatus that would measure oxygen consumption during the early life of the mouse. Most of the available methods are either elaborate in technique and equipment or ill-adapted for use with small animals. However, a constant-pressure type of respirometer, after the principle used by Winterstein and later described by Dixon¹ has been successfully adapted to the problem and might well be given wider application. Materials for its construction are readily available, and it is so sensitive that determinations may be made over very short periods—½–4 minutes. Mice are seldom absolutely quiet for longer periods, and so this sensitivity is almost a necessity when working with these animals.