244 



THE BLOOD OF EQIJINES. 



By 



C. P. Neser, D.Sc, M.R.C.V.S. 



Veterinary Hcscarch Officer, Onderstepoort, Pretoria. 



Read July 10, 1922. 



The blood plays such an impoi-taiit role in the physiology of 

 the animal that its study is of very great interest, and from 

 the point of view of disease, of the utmost importance. 



The blood is directly or indirectly concerned with every pliase 

 of bod}' activity, but only a few of its many functions need be 

 mentioned to show its importance to the animal. Thus the blood 

 carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, and carries carbon 

 dioxide from the tissues to the lungs for excretion; it serves to 

 distribute foods to the tissues, and to remove waste products 

 from these for excretion by various' organs such as the kidneys; 

 it carries various chemical messengers (hormones such as adre- 

 naline) from the oi*gans elaborating them to the organs where 

 they are needed: it is concerned in heat dissipation, and from 

 it are derived, directly or indirectly, the various secretions and 

 excretions, such as urine and sweat, the saliva needed in chewing 

 food, the gastric and enteric juices needed for the digestion of 

 tlie food. 



The blood in disease is just as important to the animal body as 

 ill health — even more important from certain points of view. 

 Thus the blood may directly or indirectly combat disease, or may 

 actually be the means of carrying disease from one part to an- 

 other; and finally may even become diseased itself. 



From this it may be infeired that th(^ blood is often studied for 

 the sake of the information it can give about disease. But any 

 iiifonnation about blood during disease is only of value if the 

 (Hirresponding data in health are available, and hence the neces- 

 sity for studying heatthy blood. 



The blond of man has received very great attention during 

 recent yeai's; that of animals very much less. Extensive data 

 have been obtained, and mitil the contrary be proved, it may be 

 assumed that the facts established for mnn will hold for animals, 

 a)id the reverse. 



