Some Observations on the Viscosity of Pathological Human Blood Plasma^[*]

Summary

Viscosities of blood plasma obtained from patients suffering from leukaemia, macroglobulinaemia, polycythaemia, spherocytosis, haemophilia and myelofibrosis has been studied by means of a rotational cone-in-cone viscometer. The data obtained is not intended to characterize the specific diseases. The aim is to show that a great range of viscosities may be found in various samples of human blood plasma and that the pathological plasma may show non-Newtonian and thixotropic flow characteristics.

It is suggested that determination of plasma viscosities, over a range of rates of shear, might contribute to our understanding of some problems of blood circulation and might be beneficial in more correct evaluation of the erythrocyte sedimentation tests.

^* Supported by a grant from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

^** Senior Research Fellow, Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

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