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Spontaneously breathing patients who undergo diagnostic thoracentesis do not need postprocedure chest radiography.

Iron absorption is a function of the gastro-intestinal mucosal epithelium. The normal non-anemic dog absorbs little iron but chronic anemia due to blood loss brings about considerable absorption—perhaps 5 to 15 times normal. In general the same differences are observed in man (1). Sudden change from normal to severe anemia within 24 hours does not significantly increase iron absorption. As the days pass new hemoglobin is formed. The body iron stores are depleted and within 7 days iron absorption is active, even when the red cell hematocrit is rising. Anoxemia of 50 per cent normal oxygen concentration for 48 hours does not significantly enhance iron absorption. In this respect it resembles acute anemia. Ordinary doses of iron given 1 to 6 hours before radio-iron will cause some "mucosa block"—that is an intake of radio-iron less than anticipated. Many variables which modify peristalsis come into this reaction. Iron given by vein some days before the dose of radio-iron does not appear to inhibit iron absorption. Plasma radio-iron absorption curves vary greatly. The curves may show sharp peaks in 1 to 2 hours when the iron is given in an empty stomach but after 6 hours when the radio-iron is given with food. Duration time of curves also varies widely, the plasma iron returning to normal in 6 to 12 hours. Gastric, duodenal, or jejunal pouches all show very active absorption of iron. The plasma concentration peak may reach a maximum before the solution of iron is removed from the gastric pouch—another example of "mucosa block." Absorption and distribution of radio-iron in the body of growing pups give very suggestive experimental data. The spleen, heart, upper gastro-intestinal tract, marrow, and pancreas show more radio-iron than was expected. The term "physiological saturation" with iron may be applied to the gastro-intestinal mucosal epithelium and explain one phase of acceptance or refusal of ingested iron. Desaturation is a matter of days not hours, whereas saturation may take place within 1 to 2 hours. We believe this change is a part of the complex protein metabolism of the cell.

1. Application of the principles of hydrodynamics to the problem of blood flow and blood volume indicates that the calculation of blood volume and cell volume from the venous hematocrit and plasma volume (as determined by the dye method) is subject to considerable error. 2. This conclusion is borne out by determinations of total cell volume by viviperfusion and with the use of radioactive iron tagged erythrocytes, which have shown the erythrocyte volume to be only 70 to 75 per cent of the volume indicated by the previously mentioned calculations. 3. The average hematocrit of the entire vascular system is considerably lower than the hematocrit of the large vessels, and the cell-plasma ratio of the smaller vessels is still less. 4. In the dog there are no considerable stores of immobilized erythrocytes, and the total erythrocyte volume and circulating erythrocyte volume are identical. 5. The "rapidly circulating blood volume" can be determined by dividing the erythrocyte volume by the venous hematocrit, and is found to be considerably less than the total blood volume. 6. The concept of the "rapidly circulating plasma volume" is introduced, and it is found to be approximately 80 per cent of the total plasma volume. 7. The volume of plasma in the peripheral, cell free, sluggishly moving plasma films, plus that contained in small vessels in which no red cells are present, is also determined and found to be approximately 20 per cent of the entire plasma volume. 8. The existence and magnitude of these fractions of the blood plasma volume should receive consideration in studies of blood flow and blood volume.

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