Effects of Cortisone on Blood Cells after Thermal Stress.

Abstract

Thermal stress was induced in groups of rabbits by scalding and by freezing under deep anesthesia. Twenty rabbits were treated with cortisone; 20 were controls. Counts of blood cells were made before and at short intervals after stress. A sharp rise in the erythrocytic count and a hemoconcn. developed which could be retarded by 3 hrs. by cortisone. Leukocytosis developed in all animals. This was higher and occurred more rapidly in the controls than in the cortisone-treated animals. The effects of heat were greater than those of freezing.