A Comparison of the Total Leucocyte Count in the Heart Blood and Peripheral Blood of the Rat

Abstract

Wistar strain albino rats were anesthetized with ether and 0.25 ml. of blood was obtained by cardiac puncture. Immediately afterward peripheral blood was obtained by nicking one of the dorsal tail veins. To determine whether heart blood and peripheral blood lymphocyte counts are affected equally by agents known to change the lymphocyte count, 18 of the rats were given 2 ml. subcut. injns. of aqueous adrenal-cortical extract, and 9 were given 2 ml. subcut. injns. of saline. Four mongrel rats were killed by a blow on the head, and samples of heart and tail blood obtained. Four other mongrel rats were anesthetized, the heart was exposed, and samples were obtained from the ventricle. There was not a statistically significant difference between the leucocyte counts of the heart blood and tail blood.