NORMAL RHYTHM OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS IN WOMEN

Abstract

This study was made to determine whether or not the physiologic process of menstruation may influence the regular daily rhythm of the white blood cells, which has been shown to exist independently of other physiologic factors such as digestion and ordinary exercise (Sabin, Cunningham, Doan and Kindwall,¹ 1925, and Shaw,² 1927). The results obtained by these authors in regard to the effect of digestion were confirmed, and it was further found that menstruation does not appreciably affect the rhythm of the white blood cells, although there is a lymphocytic and leukocytic infiltration of the endometrium preceding the onset of menstruation (Novak and Te Linde,³ 1924). This is taken as indicating that this rhythm is an essential characteristic of the white blood cells and is one phase of the fundamental rhythmicity of the vital activities of the body. In the course of this investigation, it was found that a type of