INFECTION AND INTOXICATION : THEIR INFLUENCE UPON HEMOGLOBIN PRODUCTION IN EXPERIMENTAL ANEMIA

Infection in human cases is often believed to be responsible for anemia. It is generally believed that lack of absorption and definite blood destruction are responsible for the anemia. Accelerated metabolism due to thyroid or dinitrophenol does not modify hemoglobin production in these standard anemic dogs. Endometritis lasting over many weeks will profoundly reduce the production of hemoglobin in the standard anemic dog. A sterile abscessalso will diminish the production of new hemoglobin in the anemic dog when liver is being fed but particularly during fasting periods when the usual abundant production of new hemoglobin is reduced to zero. Impaired absorption can be excluded as a factor of any significance in certain experiments given above. Destruction of red cells can likewise be excluded as of any significance in certain experiments given above. These experiments point to a disturbance of internal metabolism related to hemoglobin building in the body as responsible for the inhibition of hemoglobin production under these conditions. We believe this same factor is often of importance in human disease.