304 INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 



In some instances which I have observed this association 

 has been apparently a very close one ; that is to say, it 

 has appeared as if the anaemia in question were secon- 

 dary to the chronic intestinal process, since other causes 

 of anaemia, such as malaria, syphilis, intestinal worms 

 or parasites, or other infections, have been excluded 

 with a very high degree of probability. In some in- 

 stances the grade of anaemia is intense and the patients 

 may present the blood picture and clinical characters 

 of a progressive pernicious ansemia. 



The occurrence of a considerable degree of ansemia 

 in any case of advanced saccharo-butyric putrefaction 

 must depend upon an excessive destruction of red blood 

 cells as compared with the reproduction of such cells. 

 Individuals are known to possess very different powers 

 of regeneration, and it is doubtless true that the absorp- 

 tion of equal quantities of hsemolytic poison by two 

 individuals might lead to very different results so far 

 as the blood is concerned, owing to differences in regen- 

 erating power. The fact that a patient is not anaemic 

 in the ordinary sense, that is, shows no reduction below 

 what is considered a normal percentage of haemoglobin 

 and no fall in the number of red blood cells, is by no means 

 a positive indication that there is not an excessive blood 

 destruction going on. In health the ability to regener- 

 ate blood cells is probably much in excess of the ordinary 

 requirements. This margin of excess may not be ex- 

 hausted for some years, notwithstanding a considerably 

 increased drain is being made upon the regenerative 

 structures through the excessive destruction of red blood 



