Autohemagglutination in Chronic Leukemia

Although autohemagglutination has been observed in animals under various conditions1and may be induced experimentally in some of them,2its occurrence in man is rare. The phenomenon was first noted by Reitmann3in 1890, occurring in the blood of a patient with cirrhosis of the liver, and its probable appearance was noted by several other observers during the next two decades.4In 1903, however, an accurate study of this reaction was begun by Landsteiner,1which was later elaborated by Yorke5in 1911, and by Clough and Richter6in 1918. As a result, certain characteristic features were established. It was found that in various animals and in man in whom autohemagglutinins existed, the red blood cells would clump or gather together in masses when the separated serum and cells of shed blood were brought together under certain conditions. Among these were the following: 1. This