G. Lovell Gulland

Digestion leucocytosis in normal and in spleenless dogs1

AN increase in the number of leucocytes in the circulation during digestion is now a familiar observation, but the exact nature of the leucocytosis and its true meaning have never been satisfactorily demonstrated, nor has the question of whether the spleen plays any part been considered. Hofmeister(l) described an increase in the lymphocytes of the intestinal wall along with the absorption of the peptones in proteid digestion. Pohl (2) externded these observations and found a considerable increase in the number of white cells in the blood generally, after a proteid diet and at the same time a relative diminution of the mononucleated cells. On comparing the number of leucocytes in corresponding mesenteric veins and arteries a large excess of white cells was found in the veins during digestion. The inference from these observations seems to be that the leucocytosis is due to an increase in the number of polymorphonuclear cells, and these, according to Pohls observations, are derived from the intestinal wall. Several authors, e.g., Cabot (3, class the increase of white cells dutring digestion as a polymorphonuclear leucocytosis, while others, e.g., Ehrlicb and Lazarus(4), state that the relative proportion of polymorphic cells and lymphocytes does not vary. Ascoli (5) describes digestion leucocytosis, which he considers as probably due, like the leucocytosis of infection, to a chemiotactic influence.