Observations on Cobalt Polycythemia. I. Studies on the Peripheral Blood of Rats.

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Abstract
Injns. of cobaltous chloride, CoCl2.6(H2O), in a 0.4% aq. soln., in doses of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mg./kg. of body wt., 6 times weekly, for 8 mos., in adult [male] rats, produced a persistent polycythemia of a degree comparable to that occuring in polycythemia vera in man. The response to the 3 doses given was essentially the same, the animals receiving 10.0 mg./kg. body wt. responding but little more than those receiving the 2 smaller amts. No serious toxicity, other than a failure to gain wt. as rapidly as controls, resulted. The avg. increases in blood vol. and total erythrocyte mass as compared with controls was 80% and 192% respectively, due entirely to increase in erythrocytes since plasma vol. decreased on the avg. 16%. The avg. individual erythrocyte of polycythemic animals increased in vol. 41% over that of normal controls, due almost entirely to an increase in thickness of the cell. The Hb content/red cell remained essentially unchanged but the total amt. of circulating Hb was increased 76%.