Abstract
We wish to report the results of some experiments made to determine the effects of various organ extracts on blood regeneration in animals made anemic by bleeding. This work was begun three years ago, but the contradictory findings at different times made it seem unwise to make an earlier report.
The preparations used consisted of (1) 75 per cent alcoholic extracts of the stomach, liver and spleens of calves; (2) saline suspensions of the cells of the same organs of rabbits; (3) hemoglobin solution; (4) fat-soluble non-saponifiable material from calves' livers; (5) saline extracts of these organs of rabbits which had been made anemic by bleeding.
Rabbits were used in all the experiments. They were made anemic by bleeding from the heart. The blood removed constituted about 3 per cent of the body weight, about 60 per cent of the total volume. Several blood counts and hemoglobin determinations were made before the bleeding and at frequent intervals afterwards. Our interpretation of the results of the injections of the different substances was based upon the rapidity with which the normal count was restored, as compared to a series of similar untreated anemic animals.
The results obtained with these various extracts were not very promising. At times we felt that the liver extracts were active in stimulating blood regeneration, but subsequent experiments made it evident that we were not justified in this assumption. Our most positive findings were with the alcoholic spleen extracts. In every instance this extract prevented blood regeneration and if the injections were continued the animal died.
Our results are particularly interesting in view of those obtained with the feeding of liver by Whipple 1 in the experimental anemias of dogs, and by Minot and Murphy 2 in pernicious anemia. Several explanations of the discrepancies are possible.
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