Regeneration of hemoglobin and diet factors in prolonged,severe experimental anemia.

Our earlier observations were made upon dogs rendered anemic by two or three large hemorrhages. Following this sharp reduction of blood hemoglobin from about 120 per cent to approximately 60 per cent, we observed the curve of blood hemoglobin regeneration as it returned to a normal level. It was easy to show that under these conditions a maximal hemoglobin regeneration was induced by certain diets—for example, liver and meat feeding. Many other diet factors were almost inert and certain drugs (iron and arsenic) were inert in this type of experiment.

The data given in this paper are derived from experiments on dogs under very different anemic conditions but the methods used are similar to those described in recent papers. 1 The anemia level is maintained as near a constant level as possible by frequent bleedings. The number and amount of bleedings are determined by the hemoglobin, hematocrit and plasma volume figures. Under such conditions the animal is lively, active and healthy but with a constant hemoglobin level of 40 to 50 per cent. We assume, therefore, a constant and maximal stimulus to blood hemoglobin production. Such conditions should test the potential hemoglobin factors in any given diet.

A great deal of experimental work was needed to devise a basal bread ration which should be a complete food, palatable to the dogs yet producing the minimal hemoglobin regeneration. The bread which we are using at present meets these requirements and dogs can be maintained on this diet alone for months in good health. This bread is made in the laboratory and consists of the following ingredients: Wheat flour (bread) 12,000 gm., potato starch 6,000 gm., wheat bran 2,000 gm., sugar 4,000 gm., salt mixture (McCollum and Simmonds, minus iron citrate) 120 gm., cod liver oil 2,000 cc., canned tomato 2,000 gm., yeast (baker's cake) 454 gm., water 7,500 cc.