Liver function and pyrexia caused by a pyrogen from Escherichia coli, lysergic acid diethylamide and dinitrophenol

Rabbits with liver damaged by carbon tetrachloride do not respond with hyperthermia to a lipopolysaccharide pyrogen from Escherichia coli or dinitrophenol, but lysergic acid diethylamide develops its usual effect. Rabbits with obstructive liver damage react with hyperthermia to all three pyrogenic factors. The results support the concept of a peripheral action of pyrogen. It is suggested that the liver plays a rôle in the process of transforming the bacterial pyrogen into the endogenous pyrogen.