histamine: pathological tissues 



Riley, 1954; MacDougall, 1954; Figs. 29, 30). Histologically the tumour 

 proved to be a recurrence of the cellular mastocytoma previously diagnosed 

 in Edinburgh. Its histamine content was no less than 1,290 'J-g./g. — the highest 

 we have recorded in such a lesion. Heparin was extracted by Mr. Stroud, 

 using a modification of the original method of Charles and Scott (1933), 

 and assayed against a standard solution of heparin on whole blood. Clean 

 ox liver capsule, which has the highest heparin content of all normal tissues, 

 yields up to 50 i.u. g. The heparin content of the present tumour was 

 HOi.u./g. 



Nor does the story end there. Two months later the dog was again brought 

 to the veterinary surgeon with further signs of local recurrence and with now 

 a request that the animal be destroyed. Accordingly 'Judy' was given a lethal 



Table VIII 

 Histamine content ({J-g-jg.) of tissues compared with heparin 

 content (i.u.jg.) and relative mast-cell content in a 10 y.o. 

 Golden Cocker Spaniel with a mast-cell tumour and metastases. 

 (Figures in brackets represent average control values from 

 4 normal dogs) 



intravenous dose of pentobarbitone sodium followed by the intracardiac 

 injection of potassium cyanide. Post-mortem examination was carried out 

 at once. 



At autopsy enlarged lymph nodes were found in the axilla of the same side 

 as the tumour; the liver had a slightly granular appearance and the spleen was 

 enlarged. These and other organs were taken for microscopic examination 

 and for estimation of their histamine and heparin contents. The results are 

 set out in Table VIII; the figures in parenthesis are the average histamine and 

 heparin values for the corresponding organs from four healthy dogs. It will be 

 observed that although the histamine value of the recurrent tumour is somewhat 

 lower than before, its heparin value is now even higher and is the highest 

 recorded value for such lesions. 



The data from this case indicate beyond doubt that the factor which 

 determines the histamine and heparin values in the tissues of the dog is the extent 



85 



