“…In the present work two such substances widely used in the field of experimental physiology, sodium pentobarbital and ethyl urethane, were examined in an attempt to determine to what extent bile secretion and composition as well as the chemical composition of blood varies in rabbits with excluded gallbladder. In this animal species, owing to the difficulties in maintaining a chronic biliary fistula (Shaw & Heath, 1974;DiPadova et al, 1981;Esteller, Jimenez & Lopez, 1981;Jimenez, Esteller & Lopez, 1982), most studies have been carried out on animals anaesthetized with one of these agents (Klaassen, 1974;Rutishauser & Stone, 1975;Shaw & Heath, 1975;Bruss, Cornelius & Himes, 1983;Gonzalez et al, 1983;Esteller et al, 1984;Zahavi, Shaffer & Gall, 1985).…”