Abstract
The problem of rendering the tissues of a small laboratory animal like the rat, blood-free, must be solved if this animal is used in the study of tissue iron metabolism. In order that a more nearly correct iron content of a tissue may be obtained it will not suffice merely to correct for the iron contained in the blood of such a tissue, nor will the bleeding of the animal through decapitation or through severing a large artery render the tissues blood-free. The solution of this problem, we believe, rests in the development of a perfusion technique whereby the blood may be washed out of the living animal. A method adapted from Whipple's 1 procedure we wish to report here.
The method requires the services of 2 individuals. The equipment includes an ordinary dissecting kit, a ligature needle, a No. 23 hypodermic needle attached by means of a piece of rubber tubing to a 50 cc. burette equipped with pinch-cock, an operating board, and ligatures.
The animal is anesthetized with ether and fastened to an operating board, ventral side up. The skin is removed from the neck region extending from the chin, to and beyond the clavicles, and on either side of the median line to the axillae. The external jugular veins are dissected and linen ligatures are placed under the main branches of both veins. The internal carotid arteries are next dissected and one is prepared according to the method of Bethke, et al. 2 The latter carotid is, however, not severed to permit the flow of blood until later. The right external jugular vein is now closed to increase the blood flow through the opposite vein by means of an artery clamp.
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