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Knowledge which enables one to predict the composition of intracellular as well as extracellular fluids is necessary for rational therapy of disturbances in body water and electrolyte. The present paper shows that, when the kidneys reach adjustment in the presence of a deficit of sodium or chloride or potassium, there is a predictable relationship between the concentration of bicarbonate in serum and the composition of rat muscle. At present, treatment of acidosis is guided chiefly by information that low concentration of bicarbonate in serum is explained by an absolute or relative deficiency of the sodium in extracellular fluids. Similarly, the therapy of alkalosis is based on knowledge that relative or absolute deficiency of chloride in extracellular fluids leads to high concentration of bicarbonate in serum. Although the changes in body electrolyte are not confined to extracellular electrolyte, knowledge of the quantitative aspects of the changes in intracellular fluids is just beginning to be developed. Darrow (1) has presented some of the known changes in composition of intracellular and extracellular fluids in a form which permits quantitative comparison of the changes in the two chief categories of body fluid and has discussed some of the implications of these quantitative relationships. The present paper expands and defines these relationships at biological equilibrium.The experiments were designed to show the changes in composition of both serum and muscle which accompany certain types of deficit of potassium, in acidosis produced by deficit of sodium and in alkalosis produced by deficit of chloride.

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