The influence of deep body temperatures and skin temperatures on peripheral blood flow in the pig.

1. The rate of blood flow through the tail of the pig has been measured by means of venous occlusion plethysmography using a mercury in rubber strain gauge. Conscious animals were used in all experiments because previous work had demonstrated that anaesthetics interfere with the animal's ability to vasoconstrict.2. Graded changes in the temperature of the hypothalamus were imposed by means of an implanted thermode. It was found that the change in blood flow depended on the extent of the change in hypothalamic temperature and on the ambient temperature. Below 20 degrees C ambient temperature, heating the hypothalamus did not cause vasodilatation and at 30 degrees C ambient temperature, cooling the hypothalamus caused only slight vasoconstriction, but at 25 degrees C ambient temperature, changes in hypothalamic temperature caused changes in blood flow from full vasoconstriction to full vasodilatation.3. The skin temperature on the trunk was changed by means of water circulated through tubes sewn into a coat worn by the pig. Blood flow in the tail, which was outside the coat, depended on the skin temperature of the trunk, the ambient temperature, and the temperature of the hypothalamus, all of which were varied separately.4. A thermode was implanted in the epidural space in the cervical region of the spinal cord. The change in blood flow in the tail which accompanied a change in thermode temperature was found to depend on the temperature of the thermode and the ambient temperature. Cooling the spine while the hypothalamus was being heated to 43 degrees C resulted in a decrease in blood flow, but when the spine was heated while the hypothalamus was being cooled the increase in blood flow was only slight.5. Local stimulus to the tail in the form of infra-red heat, or increased air movement was followed by changes in blood flow even when deep body temperature remained stable.