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661. KIRKENDALL, W. M., HODGES;, Ro E. and JANUARY, L. E. 



The ACTH-like effect of fever In man \ 



J. Lab. Clin. Med. 36:845-846, I950 



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A marked drop in circulating eosinophiles regularly occurs 



four to eight hours after injection of a pyrogenic agent in 

 patients with malignant hypertensive conditions. The phenome- 

 non has been reportedlin humans after typhoid vaccine injections 

 and in animals after induced fever. Since eosinopenia occurs 

 also after administration of ACTH, the hypothesis that fever- 

 producing agents may stimulate production of ACTH was tested. 

 PYROMEN^ typhoid vaccine and physically-induced fever were 

 employed for 2? human patients, all with normally functioning 

 pituitary and adrenal glands, but with hypertensive disorders. 

 The circulating eosinophil and total leukocyte counts, and the 

 ratio of multi-nucleated cells to Ttiononuclear types and of uric 

 acid to creatinine were determined; excretion of corticosteroids 

 was measured in five patients. 



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In response to fever an initial leucopenia occurs; the decrease 

 is mainly one of mononuclear cells. Eosinopenia follows fever 

 in three to eight hours. Occasionally chills precede the marked 

 leukocytosis (increased polymorphonuclear elements) which follows 

 in 12 to 24 hours after injection. The administration of 

 therapeutic doses of an antihistamine, of aspirin or dibenamine 

 did not prevent such changes. No changes in the uric acid/creati- 

 nine ratio or in corticosteroid excretion followed fever pro- 

 duced by the three agents employed. It was believed that these 

 would be altered if the leukocyte response reflected release of 

 the adrenocorticotropic hormone. However, the short period of 

 stress occasioned by the administration of pyrogenic materials 

 may be only long enough to alter the blood picture alone. It 

 is concluded that "in persons with normal pituitary glands, fever 

 causes the relase of small amounts of ACTH." 



662. LEESE, C. E., POEL, W. E. and BERMAN, H. 



Effects of the Shear bacterial polysaccharides upon cardio- 

 vascular response 



Fed. Proc. 9:76, 1950 



When 100 to 1200 gammas per kg. body weight of the Shear poly- 

 saccharide was administered to the rabbit, the circulation time 

 increased. A depressive action was seen with blood pressure 

 falling to one-third to one-half the normal levels; a slow rise 

 began within five to ten minutes. Once the blood pressure re- 

 gained the normal level, subsequent injections had no influence. 

 The depressive effects of the polysaccharide was not prevented by 

 an antihistamine. The EKG was indicative of tachycardia with 

 Inversion of both P and T waves; there was an abnormally high 

 S-T takeoff which disappeared within six hours. 



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