Response to NaCl taste in mixture with HCl by sodium deficient rats

Sodium deficient, adrenalectomized rats and nondeficient control rats were offered, for 20 min, a mixture of 0.1 M NaCl and 0.02 N HCl. The sodium deficient rats drank substantial amounts whereas control animals were essentially indifferent to the mixture. Further tests on the sodium deficient rats with a stronger NaCl concentration in the mixture did not alter the amount drunk, which was about 1/3 the amount ingested of singly presented 0.1 NaCl. These results suggest that the sodium deficient rat can recognize the similarity of the mixture to NaCl but that the other mixture component influences the behavioral outcome in a way other than simple intensity suppression.