A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF HEMORRHAGE, TRAUMA, HISTAMINE AND SPINAL ANESTHESIA ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE BLOOD WHEN NO FLUIDS ARE INJECTED AND WHEN FLUIDS ARE INTRODUCED INTRAVENOUSLY

Abstract

The marked decline in blood pressure following hemorrhage or spinal anesthesia (procaine hydrochloride) was associated with little or no loss of plasma or protein from the blood stream, and the fluids injected intravenously did not wash protein from the circulation. There was a significant loss of protein and plasma following the injection of histamine, and the introduction of fluids other than blood or serum was associated with a still further loss of plasma and protein. Trauma to a posterior extremity was associated with the loss of large amts. of plasma and protein from the blood stream. Fluids injected into the blood stream escaped immediately and carried with them far more protein than would have been lost had no fluid been given. This did not occur when whole blood or blood serum was introduced. The experiments show that a marked decline in blood pressure is not always accompanied by the loss of plasma and protein. In the presence of shock such as that produced by trauma, the intravenous injection of fluids other than blood or serum may be not only useless but harmful. The fluids given included normal saline and Evans'' solution (gum acacia-glucose-saline).