Hemolysis and Erythropoiesis : I. Influence of Intraperitoneal Administration of Whole Hemolysates on the Recovery of Bled Dogs, as Measured by Changes in the Total Erythrocytic Volume.

The effect of RBC hemolysates on the recovery from anemia due to blood removal was studied in four dogs. For that purpose each dog was bled on two occasions to obtain similar degrees of anemia, and the erythrocytic production was measured during the 14- to 18-day lapse following each bleeding. A 2- to 3-month interval was allowed between bleedings. The erythrocytic production was evaluated by Cr⁵¹ determinations of the circulating erythrocyte volume (EV) after each bleeding and at the end of the 14- to 18-day lapse. During the control study, the dogs received iron intramuscularly and saline intraperitoneally; the latter was substituted by hemolyzed RBC during the test study. The erythrocytic production, in terms of ml. of EV gained per Kg. and per day, in every animal was higher during the test study: 1.126 to 2.411 (mean, 1.568) times the production of the same dog during the control study.

The results furnish strong evidence that the products of erythrocytic destruction have an enhancing effect on the recovery of anemia induced by bleedings in dogs.