274 INANITION AND MALNUTRITION 



From the original data in Table 3, it will be observed that the weight of the 

 spleen in atrophic infants is exceedingly variable. Of the cases above normal, 

 only No. 1 1 can be excluded on account of syphilis. All the cases in which the 

 age, body length, maximum and final body weights and weight of the spleen in 

 atrophic infants were available are summarized in Table 2. Known syphilitic 

 cases have been excluded. Thus it is apparent that, compared with the normal 

 for final body weight, the spleen averaged 9.5 per cent above normal (or 5.6 

 below normal in the Minnesota series alone). Compared with the normal for 

 the maximum body weight during life, the spleen averaged 14.9 per cent below 

 normal; and for height, 20.5 per cent below normal. For age, the spleen aver- 

 aged 31.3 per cent below normal (18.1 per cent for the Minnesota series alone). 

 Thus in this series the average loss in weight of the spleen appeared somewhat 

 less than that in the body as a whole. 



On the other hand, from the field graph of all cases of spleen weight according 

 to body length in atrophic infants, as shown in Figs. 75 and 76, it appears that in 

 most cases the spleen weight is decidedly subnormal, according to body length. 

 Doubtless if all complications (especially infections) tending to produce splenic 

 enlargement could be excluded, the average weight of the human spleen during 

 inanition would appear still lower. 



Among animals, a more uniform loss of weight in the spleen has frequently 

 been observed during inanition. A remarkably small size of the spleen in dogs 

 and rabbits on total inanition was noted by Collard de Martigny (1828). 

 In pigeons on total inanition with average loss of about 40 per cent in body 

 weight, Chossat ('43) found an average loss of 71 per cent in the weight of the 

 spleen. Similarly, Bidder and Schmidt ('52) found an apparent loss of 72 per 

 cent in a cat with loss of about 50 per cent in body weight. 



Manassein ('68, '69) also noted profound atrophy of the spleen in animals 

 starved with or without water. Thus in 47 adult rabbits with average loss of 

 39 per cent in body weight, the spleen lost 65 per cent. In 8 young adult rabbits 

 (3?^ months old) with average loss of about 33 per cent in body weight, the 

 spleen lost 52 per cent. In 3 young rabbits (23-25 days old), with body loss 

 of 35 per cent, the spleen lost 38 per cent. An apparent loss of 74 per cent was 

 observed in the spleen of 2 starved cats, and of 79 per cent in 2 starved crows. 

 On fully refeeding 5 rabbits after a severe fasting period, the spleen had 

 recovered normal weight. 



Bourgeois ('70) found in general the spleen atrophied to less than half its 

 normal size in various starved mammals and birds, with or without water. 

 A small spleen in dogs on total inanition or water only was noted by Carville 

 and Bochefontaine ('75), Luciani and Bufalini ('82) and Mankowski ('82). 

 In 6 fasting rabbits, with or without water, Skoritschenko ('83) found with 

 average loss of 43.7 per cent in body weight an apparent loss of 26.5 per cent in 

 spleen weight. 



In 20 pigeons on absolute inanition, compared with 20 controls, Lukianow 

 ('89) found an average loss of 34 per cent in body weight and of 58 per cent in 

 the spleen, with no appreciable change in water content. In a dog fasting 22 

 days with loss of 32 per cent in body weight, Voit ('94) found the spleen slightly 



