PHYSIOLOGY: P. D. LAMSON 
367 
(1) The number of erythrocytes per unit volume of blood is increased. 
(2) An absolute increase in number of erythrocytes takes place. 
(3) Plasma volume is decreased. 
(4) Total blood volume is decreased. 
(5) The average volume of the individual erythrocyte is decreased. 
(6) The haemoglobin content of the average erythrocyte is decreased. 
(7) No evidence of newly formed erythrocytes has been obtained. 
(8) No evidence of the division of erythrocytes has been obtained. 
(9) Proof that erythrocytes temporarily stored somewhere in the 
body, are brought into the circulation, has been obtained by deduction 
from the above facts, and a condition in which erythrocytes are stored 
has been experimentally demonstrated as follows. 
If the hepatic artery is ligated and epinephrin intravenously injected, 
the number of erythrocytes per unit volume of blood remains unchanged, 
but at the same time the plasma volume is markedly decreased.^ This 
is theoretically impossible without a destruction or a storing of erythro- 
cytes somewhere in the body. No evidence of their destruction has 
been found. There is no haemolysis, and no haemoglobinuria. Fur- 
thermore polycythaemia may be repeatedly produced in the same 
animal. 
The locaHzation of this reservoir of erythrocytes was experimentally 
carried out in the following manner. As shown above, the liver is 
responsible for the increase in number of erythrocytes which follow^s 
the injection of epinephrin, and a certain portion of this increase is 
due to cells brought forth from some reservoir. In the experiments 
in which the hepatic artery is ligated and no increase in number of 
erythrocytes follows the injection of epinephrin, but where a storing 
of erythrocytes must take place, opening the hepatic artery is immedi- 
ately followed by an increase in number of erythrocytes in the generally 
circulating blood. Or if in this same condition where the hepatic artery 
is ligated, epinephrin is injected into the portal vein, causing a constric- 
tion of the liver capillaries, and a decrease in liver volume, an immediate 
increase in number of erythrocytes occurs. 
It has thus been experimentally shown, that the polycythaemia 
following the intravenous injection of epinephrin is due to some action 
of the liver. A condition has been brought about by ligation of the 
arterial blood supply to this organ and the intravenous injection of 
epinephrin, in which erythrocytes must be stored away. By return- 
ing the arterial blood supply to the hver, or by causing a constriction 
of the liver capillaries by the injection of epinephrin into the portal 
vein, both of which procedures offers mechanical conditions favorable 
