FACTORS CONCERNED IN THE POLYCYTHEMIA PRODUCED BY THE SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION OF EPINEPHRINE

C W Edmunds1, E E Nelson

  • 1Department of Materia Medica and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.

The subcutaneous injection of epinephrine in doses of 1 mg. per kilo brings about a polycythemia, an increase in reticulocytes, and an increase in young forms of polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The polycythemia is no doubt in part a concentration phenomenon, but the presence of these young cells in increasing numbers is believed to be evidence that there is at the same time a discharge of cells from the blood-forming organs, due to the effect of the drug upon them. A similar effect is obtained by continued stimulation of the peripheral ends of the cut sciatic nerves in the curarized animal.

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