THE EFFECT OF MECHANICAL CONSTRICTION OF THE HEPATIC VEINS UPON THE ANTICOAGULANT ACTION OF WITTE'S PEPTONE

¹ From the Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago

1. When Witte's peptone is injected intravenously during mechanical constriction of the hepatic veins there is (a) a delay in the appearance and (b) a reduction in intensity of its anticoagulant action. Mechanically shutting the liver out of the circulation temporarily in this manner does not, however, completely prevent this action of peptone.

2. There is reason to believe that the anticoagulant effect of peptone is non-specific and due to engorgement of the liver as a result of constriction of the hepatic veins by peptone.

3. The effect of peptone in inducing thrombopenia is greatly reduced but not entirely abolished by preliminary mechanical constriction of the hepatic veins. This suggests that in peptone shock in the dog most of the platelets become impounded in the sinusoids of the liver which become greatly distended in this condition as a result of the action of peptone upon the hepatic veins.

4. Restoration of the platelet count to approximately normal occurs much earlier than the return of the coagulation time to normal. This indicates (a) that these two phenomena are probably unrelated; and (b) that the loss of power of blood to coagulate in peptone shock is due to the presence of an excess of antithrombin rather than to the absence of the factor in coagulation furnished by the platelets.