The Blood of the Normal Guinea Pig.

Abstract

It is suggested that inconsistencies in the work of previous investigators on the blood of the normal guinea pig have been due, for the most part, to the use of the usual fixed staining technic. The supravital method of blood study, first used by Pappenheim, and reintroduced by Simpson, overcomes the common difficulties of cell distribution, and identification, as met with in the smear method. The peripheral blood of the normal guinea pig has been studied by the Neutral Red-Janus Green supravital method. Sixty-four guinea pigs from four different sources, of both sexes, and weighing from 500 to 1000 grams, comprise the series. From 200 to 400 white cells per preparation were counted on each. To compensate for normal fluctuations, counts were made at all hours of the day and night. The normal guinea pig has been found to have a leucocytic formula peculiarly its own, especially in that an atypical mononuclear is normally present in the circulation. In our counts this will be termed the Kurlow cell, because of its inclusion, the so-called Kurlow body. Considerable evidence has been obtained upholding the belief that the Kurlow inclusion is the result of a symbiotic protozoan. An average total leucocyte count of 9,600, and a total erythrocyte count of 5,565,000, were established. The differential count showed the following: Neutrophile, 34.9%; Lymphocyte, 49%; Monocyte, 7%; Eosinophile, 3.1%; Basophile, 0.8%; Kurlow cell, 5.0%; Unclassified cells, 0.2%. It is believed that the above data establishes a fairly accurate means of ascertaining the normalcy of a fully matured guinea pig.