jomm of mmm , research 
Vol. IX Washington, D. C., April 30, 1917 No. 5 
MORPHOLOGY OF NORMAL PIGS’ BLOOD 1 
By C. C. Palmejr, 
Assistant Veterinarian , Veterinary Research Laboratories t 
Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station 
INTRODUCTION 
The work reported in this paper was undertaken with the view of 
establishing normal data under conditions which exist in this section of 
the country as a basis for future studies and to corroborate the work of 
other investigators. 
HISTORICAL REVIEW 
Burnett 2 has compiled a table showing the number of erythrocytes, 
leucocytes, percentage of hemoglobin, specific gravity, and size of the red 
corpuscles in the blood of normal swine. 
Table I.— Summary of examinations of the blood of normal swine by different investi¬ 
gators {in Burnett 2 ) 
Red corpuscles 
per c. mm. 
Leucocytes 
per c. mm. 
Hemoglo¬ 
bin. 
Specific 
gravity. 
Size of red 
corpuscles. 
Author. 
6, 960, 000 
7, 924, 000 
7,840 
19, OOO 
Per cent. 
5.28-7.9 
Bethe. 
Giltner. 
Gulliver. 
Stoltzing. 
Storch. 
Do, 
Sussdorf. 
Wendelstadt and Bleibtreu. 
88 
6 
5, 441, OOO 
8,045,000 
<*4,923, OOO 
II, 518 
I, 060 
6 
8, 668, 200 
a Pigs 6-35 days old. 
The number of examinations upon which the above averages are based 
is not known, except in the case of Giltner. 3 His original article is avail¬ 
able, and his table shows that he made observations upon 24 pigs. From 
his description the pigs were of fair quality, and were of mixed breeding. 
Regarding size, they were quite mixed: Five were just weaned, one was 
a large animal, and the remainder varied in size. 
Lewis, Shuler, and others, 4 in connection with their studies on hog 
cholera, have studied the blood o»f a few normal susceptible pigs. They 
1 Published, with the approval of the Director, as Paper No. 59 of the Journal Series of the Minnesota 
Agricultural Experiment Station. 
2 Burnett, S. H. The Clinical Pathology of the Blood of Domesticated Animals, p. 48. Ithaca, N. Y., 
1908. 
8 Giltner, Ward. The histology and physiology of normal pigs’ blood. In Jour. Compar. Path, and 
Ther., v. 20, pt. 1, p. 18-23. 1907. 
4 Lewis, L. L-, Shuler, W. P., McElroy, C. H., and Ritter, L- B. Hog cholera. Okla. Agr. Exp. Sta. 
Bui. 104, 30 p. f 9 fig. 1914* 
(131) 
Journal of Agricultural Research, 
Washington, D. C. 
by 
Vol. IX, No. s 
Apr. 30, 1917 
Key No. Minn,—13 
