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The Camel's Erythrocyte

Nature volume 200, pages 272–273 (1963)Cite this article

Abstract

THE camel's ability to live without water for long periods is outstanding1,2,4,6. It can lose about 30 per cent of its body-weight during dehydration in the desert and still move about12. A dehydrated camel can regain its losses of water (about 30 gallons) in about 10 min and resume its normal appearance; despite the large flow of water into the bloodstream its erythrocytes are not hæmolysed. In human beings the entry of 600 ml. of water into the circulation will produce hæmoglobinuria11. It is also known that cattle (in hot environments) deprived of water and then given large amounts of it may develop hæmoglobinuria. This, however, has never been observed in camels, according to statements made by camel raisers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Hebrew University, Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel

    K. PERK

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  1. K. PERK
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PERK, K. The Camel's Erythrocyte. Nature 200, 272–273 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/200272a0

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