EFFECTS OF HYPOTHERMIA UPON THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY AND PROTEINS OF THE BLOOD OF CHICKENS

Abstract

Low body temp. ranging from 36.1-23.9[degree]C, was induced in White Leghorn hens for 1/2[long dash]6 1/4 hrs. Sp. gr. of whole, blood and plasma were detd. as follows: Blood or plasma was obtained in a hypodermic syringe or capillary tube, and one drop at a time allowed to fall into a series of CuS.O4 solus., graded at intervals of 0.001 in sp. gr. The rise or fall of the drop on entering the soln. reveals its gr. relative to that of the soln. (method of Phillips et al. 1945). The plasma proteins, calculated from the sp. gr., averaged 4.308 gs. % before hypothermia, and 4.797 after hypothermia. This difference is significant. The degree of increase was independent of the degree and duration of hypothermia. Birds warmed for 1-5 hrs. following the hypothermia showed a decrease in plasma proteins, with the values approaching those obtained before hypothermia was induced.