Chemical blood studies, III. Comparative studies on "laked" and "unlaked" blood filtrates of sheep in health and during "heartwater" (Rickettsia ruminantium infection) and bluetongue (catarrhal fever)

Abstract

(1) The total nitrogen and haemoglobin of whole blood, and the sugar, urea, amino-acid, "total" creatinine, uric acid and non-protein nitrogen of "laked" and "unlaked" blood filtrates of sheep have been determined. (2) Determinations were made during the pre-infection period ("normal"), the incubation period, the actual hyperthermic reaction stage, and in recovery cases during the convalescent stage, until the level of the blood constituents had returned to normal. (3) "Normal " data in respect of the above constituents for both "laked'' and "unlaked" filtrates have been separately detailed. ( 4) As far as differences in the two types of filtrates are concerned, the concentrations in "laked" filtrates are in all cases higher than in the "unlaked", the difference being least in the case of urea. (5) Temperature charts to show the nature and type of the reaction, as well as the periods at which blood was withdrawn, have been incorporated. (6) Well marked changes are recorded in Heartwater and Bluetongue, the degree of the change corresponding approximately to the severity of individual reactions.