One of the most common defects of the blood is anemia, a deficiency in hemoglobin, due to a reduction of red corpuscles or to the quantity of hemoglobin they contain. The result is lack of oxygen in the blood. The person becomes pale because the blood is not so red. He is easily tired due to lack of oxidation in the muscles. He easily becomes short of breath.
There are various causes of anemia. The diet may have had too little iron. There may have been loss of blood from excessive or too frequent menstruation, from the presence of the hook worm in the intestines or from the malaria parasite in the blood. In such cases an increase in iron and copper intake will usually remedy the condition. Exercise stimulates production of red cells through the increased demand of oxygen. If there has been a severe loss of blood from hemorrhage or an operation, a transfusion may be necessary.
In Pernicious anemia, when it was a fatal disease, the red blood cells continue to decrease in number until other symptoms develop and death finally results. It is now controllable as a result of discovery that the red marrow is able to produce red blood cells only in the presence of an 'Anti-anemia' substance. The exact chemical nature of this substance is unknown but it is produced from some element in food by the action of an enzyme in the stomach. It is the absence of this enzyme that causes anemia. Any excess 'anti-anemia' substance formed is stored in the liver. The disease can be controlled either by the addition of liver or liver extract of the diet or by the enzyme itself, obtained from the tissue of the pig's stomach.
There are various causes of anemia. The diet may have had too little iron. There may have been loss of blood from excessive or too frequent menstruation, from the presence of the hook worm in the intestines or from the malaria parasite in the blood. In such cases an increase in iron and copper intake will usually remedy the condition. Exercise stimulates production of red cells through the increased demand of oxygen. If there has been a severe loss of blood from hemorrhage or an operation, a transfusion may be necessary.
In Pernicious anemia, when it was a fatal disease, the red blood cells continue to decrease in number until other symptoms develop and death finally results. It is now controllable as a result of discovery that the red marrow is able to produce red blood cells only in the presence of an 'Anti-anemia' substance. The exact chemical nature of this substance is unknown but it is produced from some element in food by the action of an enzyme in the stomach. It is the absence of this enzyme that causes anemia. Any excess 'anti-anemia' substance formed is stored in the liver. The disease can be controlled either by the addition of liver or liver extract of the diet or by the enzyme itself, obtained from the tissue of the pig's stomach.
