CHANGES IN THE PERIPHERAL BLOOD CONSEQUENT UPON THE DIVERSION OF THE SPLENIC BLOOD INTO THE GENERAL CIRCULATION

1. The principal change in the peripheral blood consisted in the prolonged increase in number of the transitional white blood cells, an active brief stimulation of the polymorphonuclear neutrophils, which were later relatively decreased in number in four cases, in three dogs a late rise in number of the mononuclear and eosinophilic cells, and in one dog of mononuclear cells alone. 2. The normally high differential percentage count of polymorphonuclear eosinophils in dogs would be expected on account of the numerous parasitic infections which they usually have. 3. The splenorenal venous anastomosis offered a simple and satisfactory method of diverting the splenic blood into the general circulation because it was easy and produced no gross abnormal intraabdominal changes, and the vessels normally lay parallel to each other and were readily approximated without tension. 4. The operation was successful in every case. 5. The animals did very well after operation and were healthy and active. 6. No noteworthy histological changes were observed in any of the organs or tissues. 7. There was no essential change in bile production that could be detected by jaundice. 8. The urine and stools showed no changes.