ON THE MECHANISM OF THE HEMATOPOIETIC ACTION OF COBALT

Abstract

To young and adult [male] albino rats were administered daily O.5 mgm. of cobalt, as cobaltous chloride in aqueous solution, by mouth and by subcut. inj., respectively. The typical elevation in the concn. of Hb and in the number of erythrocytes was preceded by significant increases in the proportion of reticulocytes. The concn. of bilirubin in the serum of the cobalt-injected rats was slightly greater than that of comparable control animals. These results indicate that the hema-topoietic activity of Co is a result of an increase in the rate of formation of Hb and erythroeytes and that a passive accumulation of red cells as a result of a diminished rate of cell destruction does not occur.