Inhibition of adrenocortical function by intravenous administration of sodium pentobarbital in cocks

The response of awake and anesthesized cocks with sodium pentobarbital to stressful stimuli has been examined. The stressful stimuli was immersion in cold water. In the awake cocks plasma corticosterone concentration was increased about 4 fold; they started shivering shortly after immersion and recovered after cessation of the treatment. In the anesthesized ones there was no increase in plasma corticosterone concentration, they did not shiver and died shortly after immersion.