ABSTRACT
The first study on bone marrow in the Philippines is presentedThe total cell count and the differential bone marrow picture are discussed. The bone marrow cell count is about 100,000 per cm. for the normal Filipino adult. The total cell count includes nucleated red cells and all white cells. The relation between erythroblasts and white cells in adults is 10-20:100: in children it is higher, in the first year of life 30-40:10, then it slowly decreases with advance in ageThe bone marrow biopsy is indispensable for the diagnosis of all blood diseases. In pernicious anemia the diagnosis is based on the presence of megaloblasts in the bone marrow. The effect of liver therapy can be observed by the disappearance of the megaloblasts. All regenerative anemias are characterized by a severe erythropoetic activity of the bone marrow, and so the ratio of erythroblasts to white cells must be high. Post-infectious anemias are characterized by a shift to the left do not suggest splenectomy. The third possibility, the megakaryopenic purpura, is a clear contraindication for splenectomyIn infectious diseases such as septico-pyemias, pneumonias, etc. there are remarkable changes in the bone marrow. However,these changes are only of pathologic interest and we would not suggest sternal punctures in these cases because they do not help in the diagnosis. Similarly in Hogdkins disease there are no characteristic changes in the bone marrowBone marrow changes in malign new-growth are studied. There is sometimes a eosinophilia, but this is not constant. Both erythropoetic and hypoplastic responses of the bone marrow are observed. In old age the cell count and erythropoetic activity seem to be decreased. X-ray treatment of new-growth has a very important effect in the bone marrow, producing low cell counts and poor erythropoetic activity. (Summary)