Relation of splenectomy to growth and appetite in the rat

Abstract

With a view of studying the alleged effect of splenectomy on appetite and growth, 1 experiments were carried out on white rats using the standard feeding technic of Osborne and Mendel. The growth was thus accurately measured and the qualitative as well as quantitative aspect of the food intake carefully controlled. Sixteen rats were splenectomized as nearly as possible at the age of 40 days. Of these, five were observed for 34 weeks, three for 43, and the remaining rats, which were the progeny of splenectomized parents, were observed for 23 weeks. In no case was there evidence of an increased appetite nor of variation from the normal growth rate.

Erythrocyte count on five of the “second generation” splenectomized rats gave no indication of anemia following the operation.