ON THE CHANGES IN THE BLOOD AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE VIRUS IN RABID ANIMALS

Abstract

1. In the blood of an animal injected with a dose of the fixed virus of rabies, the number of leucocytes decreases after injection of the virus, then begins to increase with the first symptoms of the disease and still increases in the paralytic stage. Just before death the number of leucocytes has reached twice or more that before injection.In the acute course of the disease (2 days), however, it has shown a tendency to decrease in number.2. The number of lymphocytes, which gradually increase after injection, begins to decrease just before the appearance of symptoms, and then falls to one-seventh of the normal number.3. The number of polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leucocytes decreases gradually after injection, begins to increase with the first symptoms and in paralytic stage, and just before death it runs up even to twice the normal number.4. The large mononuclears and intermediate forms show a tendency to increase gradually in number after the appearance ofthe symptoms and at last reach twice the normal number, 5. No remarkable change could be found in the eosinophilic and basophilic leucocytes, though a slight decrease in the number could be traced.6. The myelocyte and metamyelocyte count has shown an increase in the paralytic stage.7. Any abnormal types of erythrocytes could not be found, but sometimes something like the Howell Jolly's corpuscles could be seen.8. In the blood of the control animal, injected with a dose of emulsion made from the normal brain, no change but a slight lymphocyte gain took place.9. With regard to the distribution of the rabies virus in various organs of the infected body, it has been found that the brain, spinal cord and nervous plexus are always virulent, and the aqueous humor and submaxirally glands in all cases contain the virus. Adrenals, pancreas, liver, and lymphatic glands are sometimes virulent but the blood, spleens, lungs, kidneys, lachrymal glands, muscles, and bone marrow are quite free from the virus.10. From the fact that no blood forming organs are always virulent and that there has been observed a remarkable change in the leucocyte count, I agree the opinion of Koyano and am inclined to assume that the change in the blood is due to a stimulant which might be produced by the action of rabies toxin.I wish to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. N, Nitta for his helpful suggestions, and Mr. S. Kondo for his kind leading and Mr. Y. Fukuyama for his perpetual assistance in this work.