190 DISEASES OF THE BLOOD 



number of leukocytes and the form of the erythrocytes 

 remain, however, practically normal. 



Course. — ^While anemia produced by a sudden loss of blood 

 may be fatal within a few minutes, the course in most anemias 

 is chronic, lasting for months or years. 



Prognosis. — ^The prognosis depends upon the cause of the 

 anemia. If the causes are benign and removable, such as 

 moderate hemorrhage, poor food, etc., proper care and treat- 

 ment will rapidly replace the lost blood. On the other hand 

 if the cause is malignant and cannot be removed, such as 

 advanced tuberculosis, chronic protozoan diseases or general- 

 ized carcinomatosis, the prognosis is bad. 



Treatment. — The treatment must be governed by the causes 

 of the anemia. Where due to hemorrhage, poor food and the 

 1 like obviously these conditions must be rectified. When this 

 is done a rapid recovery follows. In secondary anemias the 

 patients are best treated by allowing plenty of good food and 

 such medicinal blood plastics as iron, al-senic, and phosphate 

 of lime. In man the transfusion of blood from a healthy 

 individual to the anemic one is advisable. Sometimes good 

 results are obtained by the infusion of physiological salt solu- 

 tions, which may be combined with adrenalin, into the veins 

 or rectum. The patient should be allowed plenty of drink- 

 ing water provided there is no hemorrhage present. Where 

 the anemia is secondary to a malignant disease like tuber- 

 culosis or cancer the treatment has only a temporary effect 

 and is not curative. 



LEUKEMIA. 



Definition. — ^Leukemia is an anemia with a marked increase 

 in the number of leukocytes in the blood. Contrary to a 

 simple leukocytosis the course is chronic. 



Etiology. — ^Leukemia is evidently a specific disease of the 

 organs which form the leukocytes such as the bone marrow, 

 lymph tissue and spleen. The causes are not understood. 



Forms. — Two forms of leukemia are now distinguished in 

 animals, viz: (a) Lymphatic leukemia (lymphemia), and (6) 

 myeloid leukemia (myelenaia) . 



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