Meatless Diets and Anemia

Abstract

Summary 1. Fish fed a synthetic diet showed a rapid decrease in the number of red blood cells per cubic millimeter the first week, followed by a consistent but more gradual reduction. 2. Mortality first appeared when the count fell to 710,000 cells per cubic millimeter and increased rapidly as the count dropped still farther. 3. The addition of fresh beef liver caused a decrease in the mortality and at the same time an increase in the red cell content of the blood. Mortality stopped when the count reached 700,000. 4. The rise in red cells after the addition of beef liver was observed to take place at a more uniform rate than did the decrease on synthetic diet. 5. It is suggested that the red cell count be used as an index in tests for Factor H deficiency of trout, thus giving a better and earlier indication than appearance of mortality that fish are suffering from the lack of this food essential. 6. The appearance of a rapid and marked anemia shed some additional light as to the effect of the lack of Fact...