Concerning the relation of the coagulation time of the blood to thrombosis in phlebitis

The etiological factors or conditions concerned in the production of thrombosis may be briefly summarized as:

(1) Those due to central or peripheral slowing of the blood stream.

(2) Those associated with lesions in the walls of the blood vessels.

(3) Alterations in the blood itself, such as tend to favor coagulation.

In actual cases, it appears without exception that two or more of these factors are associated in the production of thrombosis. Although the etiological agents mentioned above are generally accepted as the correct interpretation of thrombosis, it must be remembered that experimentally, as well as clinically, very discordant results are reported as to the causation of thrombosis, notably such as occurs in clinical phlebitis. Until more certain data are secured in regard to the process, but little can be expected in the way of successful prophylactic treatment or in the certain prognosis of those instances in which this lesion is to be feared.

The object of this brief study has been an attempt to show to what extent increased and decreased coagulability of the blood, artificially induced, may play a part in the production of thrombosis, or, expressed, in other words, whether in conditions productive of phlebitis, thrombosis is more likely to occur when the coagulation time of the blood has been lowered artificially or less apt to take place when analogous artificial means have been employed to prolong the coagulation time of the blood.