FLUORINE INTOXICATION OF CATTLE IN INDIA
III. EFFECT OF FLUOROSIS ON THE COMPOSITION OF BLOOD
By B. N. Majumdar and S. N. Ray, Animal Nutrition Section, Imperial Veterinary
Research Institute, Izatnagar
(Received for publication on 24 January 1946)
T HE importance of studying the blood composition of animals under any pathological con-
dition is well recognised, since such analysis can be conveniently used to follow the trend
of biochemical breakdown, long before any clinical symptoms develop. As fluorides are
known to inhibit in vitro various enzymic reactions, it is surprising that so little work has
been done as yet to study blood changes in fluorosis. An attempt was, therefore, made to
investigate the changes in some haematological and chemical constituents in the blood of
cattle under conditions of sub-acute fluorine poisonings. The results of this investigation are
discussed in the present paper.
EXPERIMENTAL
The animals used were divided into two sets. The first set consisted of five calves—two
bulls and three heifers. The animals received a scheduled ration plus 6 mg. of NaF, i.e.
approximately 3 mg. of fluorine, per kg. of body weight. The other set consisted of the
adult hill bulls kept under the dietetic treatments of the second trial described in part II of
this series [Majumdar and Ray, 1946].
Blood samples were collected periodically, at the same hour of the morning and each
time before feeding. Methods of analyses were those adopted by Mullick and Pal [1943].
A. few other additional constituents, viz. lactic acid, creatinine, chlorides, total protein and
serum phosphatase were also analysed. Lactic acid was determined by the method of
Friedemann and Graeser [1933], creatinine by the method given by Hawk and Bergeim
[1938], chlorides by Whitehorn's method [1921], total proteins from nitrogen estimation by
Kjeldahl's method, while a modified Bodansky's procedure [1933] was employed for the estima-
tion of serum phosphatase.
The results are given in Tables I to V.
Haemoglobin and red cells
The most significant results are the continuous fall in the haemoglobin and red cell
contents of the blood. Statistical analyses reveal that the changes become significant
from the sixth month onward. This is long before any other pathological symptoms are
apparent, hence the development of anaemia may be taken as a rough index of fluorine
intoxication. As anticipated from the metabolism trials [Majumdar and Ray, 1946], it may
be seen that aluminium supplements gave the maximum protection. So far as can be
ascertained, this is the first time that anaemia produced by feeding fluorine to cattle has been
reported. Risi [1931] observed a reduction of erythrocytes from 7 to 8 millions per c. mm.
in normal dogs to 1.3 millions in dogs given per os 1-2 mg. of sodium fluoride per kg. body
weight. The changes set in after five minutes and became maximal in five hours. Similar
results were seen by Leake and Ritchie [1926] in chronic fluorine intoxication of dogs.
Valjavec [1932] noticed diminution in the haemoglobin percentage and number of erythrocytes
in rabbits injected intravenously with sodium fluoride at the rate of 0.05-0.06 g./kg. Slagsvold
[1934] found that in protracted intoxication with sodium fluoride and cryolite sheep developed
considerable anaemia.
It may be noticed that the colourcount ratio increased in all the groups. This type of
anaemia is generally observed in cases where bone marrow is not functioning actively [Peterl
and Van Slyke, 1931]. As a matter of fact, on autopsy gross macroscopic and histological
degeneration of bone marrow was noticed in the adult hill bulls, Cristiani and Gautier
[1922] also found marked changes in the bone marrow of animals intoxicated with fluorine
compounds. Detailed study of this type of anaemia is being made by Pande and Lal
(Unpublished).
Sugar and lactic acid
The blood sugar content in the calves showed an interesting trend. Statistical analysis of
the data revealed a significant increase immediately after fluorine feeding was started. The
values then dropped below the initial level and rose slowly again to the original value and
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