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Bovine Bracken Poisoning

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Abstract

WHILE preparing a blood smear for the differential leucocyte count, it is found that the blood of cattle in the terminal stages of bracken poisoning does not spread evenly in the manner of a normal sample, but presents a blotched or streaky appearance1 (Fig. 1). Bracken plasma contains increased amounts of fibrinogen2, but streaking is not produced if commercial bovine fibrinogen is added to normal blood, to give equivalent concentrations3. Nevertheless, we have established that the streaking is connected with the fibrinogen, and have reason to suppose that a small, altered fraction is the cause. Ultracentrifuge readings suggest that since this fraction runs more rapidly, it has a larger molecular weight than the main body of fibrinogen which runs normally (Fig. 2).

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Soil Science, School of Agriculture, Memorial Buildings, Bangor, Caernarvonshire, North Wales

    I. ANTICE EVANS & ROY M. HOWELL

Authors
  1. I. ANTICE EVANS
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  2. ROY M. HOWELL
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EVANS, I., HOWELL, R. Bovine Bracken Poisoning. Nature 194, 584–585 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/194584a0

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