Blood Regeneration in Severe Experimental Anemia. Influence of Inorganic Elements.

Abstract

We have recently reported in these Proceedings 1 a rather startling reaction to the inorganic ash of liver, kidney and apricots. This ash incorporated in a standard anemia diet 2 given to dogs kept constantly anemic by bleeding will effect a notable increase in blood hemoglobin production above control periods. This may amount to 30 to 50 gm. hemoglobin per 2-week period.

We have made various analyses of these ashes and from such data have made various synthetic ash compounds, but such synthetic mixtures so far have not proved to be potent. These experimental data will be published in due time.

We wish to report briefly our findings when these dogs are given various simple salts added to the standard ration. It is apparent that in the doses given iron is more potent than either copper or zinc.

These observations dealing with copper salts are of considerable interest when contrasted with the recent reports of Hart, S teen-bock, Waddell and Elvehjem, 3 who report a distinctly favorable reaction to copper salts and a negative reaction to iron salts. These distinct differences between our experiments and those of the Wisconsin investigators must be explained on the basis of animal differences or anemia differences. They use rats made anemic by faulty diets and we use dogs made anemic by constant bleeding to a standard anemia level.

Early in our anemia experiments (1923) Robscheit-Robbins and Whipple observed that an excess of a salt mixture (McCollum and Simmonds 4 minus iron) caused a distinct increase in hemoglobin production over control periods. The control bread ration contained these same salts but a large excess added would cause an increased hemoglobin output. It could not be that these salts were incorporated in the hemoglobin molecule, so this reaction might be called “catalytic.” We feel that these large doses of iron reported here, which are probably 10 times or more in excess of the body needs, cause a similar salt reaction of “catalytic” nature. There must be a readjustment of the internal protein metabolism so that much more hemoglobin is produced, there being an excess of iron at all times.