Abstract
In order to determine whether the drop in natural resistance following the removal of the spleen is of a general character or is specific for certain types of infections and toxemias, the effect of the removal of the spleen in rats and mice on their resistance to histamine was observed. In these studies rats free of Bartonella muris infection and mice free of Bartonella muris, Eperythrozoon coccoides and Klossiella muris were used. 1 These latent infections are adversely influenced by splenectomy. 1
Ten splenectomized rats of Wistar stock received ergotamine acid phosphate one week after operation in amounts ranging from 700 to 1200 mg. per kg. of body weight. Those receiving 1000 to 1200 mg. per kg. died; the rest survived. Of 10 control rats the M.L.D. was found to lie between 1000 and 1200 mg. per kg. of body weight.
A similar number of splenectomized mice free of latent infections likewise survived as large an amount of ergotamine acid phosphate as the control mice. The M.L.D. of histamine in the mice of this strain was 1700 to 2000 mg. per kg. of body weight.
Splenectomy in rats and mice free of latent infections does not alter the resistance of these animals to histamine poisoning. In view of the fact that the removal of the spleen depresses the natural resistance to many infections, it is interesting that the resistance to a chemical poison such as histamine is unaffected.
Bilateral suprarenalectomy, on the other hand, lowers the natural resistance of rats to all toxemias, infections and poisons. In contrast to suprarenalectomy, splenectomy specifically affects the resistance to certain types of infections and toxemias, but the drop in natural resistance is not of a general character. 2
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