PART V. 



DISEASES OF THE BLOOD AND BLOOD- 

 PRODUCING ORGANS. 



ANEMIA. 



Definition. — ^Anemia is a condition in which the blood is 

 deficient in quality or in quantity. The deficiency in quality 

 may be a diminution of the amount of hemoglobin (oligo- 

 chromemia) or in the number of red corpuscles (oligocythe- 

 mia). Anemia may be local, due to the fact that the blood 

 supply to a part is diminished, or it may be general. A 

 primary and a secondary anemia are also distinguished. 



Etiology. — Local anemia is due to a mechanical interference 

 with the blood supply to a part. The interfering factor may 

 be an embolism, tumor, spasm, etc., which impedes the onflow 

 of the blood. A primary anemia is due to diseases of the 

 blood-making organs and is usually an independent disease 

 such as pernicious anemia, or leukemia. A secondary anemia 

 develops from faulty nutrition (poor food) , severe hemorrhage 

 or may accompany bacterial, animal parasitic or protozoan dis- 

 eases such as tuberculosis, distomatosis, piroplasmosis, etc. 



Symptoms. — ^The symptoms which characterize anemia are 

 paleness of the mucous membranes and skin, loss of energy, 

 dyspnea, emaciation arid hydremia with edematous swellings. 

 The patient will also show rapid pulse, palpitation of the 

 heart, systolic heart murmurs and often fever. An examina- 

 tion of the blood shows a diminution of the red corpuscles 

 from one quarter to one-half, so that in place of eight million 

 there may be only four or even two million per c.mm. The 



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