ABSTRACT
It has been demonstrated that the spleen of mammals serves as a reservoir of erythrocytes and that at times of emergency it expels the reserve red cells into circulation (Barcroft 1925). It appears however that this function is absent in avians as suggested by the investigation of Sturkie (1943). This worker monitored the hemoglobin levels of splenectomized and intact domestic hens before and following asphyxia (caused by externally constricting the trachea until the bird became limp). The mean hemoglobin levels for the blood samples before and after asphyxia in the unoperated and splenectomized birds were not different (statistically analyzed). Thus the presence of a spleen in a hen did not yield a supply of additional red cells to the circulation following acute loss of oxygen. Anatomical considerations of the avian spleen support this observation. Unlike the mammalian spleen which has a thick muscular capsule and prominent trabeculae thereby giving it a considerable degree of contractility, the avian spleen has a thin capsule and no true trabeculae and is consequently capable of minimal contraction (Sturkie 1943).
