LEUKOPENIA-LEUKOCYTOSIS - Printer Friendly

    Much is known about the white cells of the bloodstream, their function in the defense of the body, and their origin in the lymphoid tissue of the body and bone marrow.  The reader is invited to review the anatomy and physiology of white blood cells.  Not so commonly known is that the lymphocytes carry beta- and gamma-globulin within the structure of their cells and release it in various places within the body.  The fate of these same lymphocytes, however, is and has been a puzzle for many years.  Sanders and associates in 1940 estimated that the entire population of lymphocytes in the circulation of the cat is replaced five times daily.  The destiny of the lymphocyte in the human being and the numbers apparently destroyed each day have not been accurately estimated.  This information, however, is interesting in relationship to the material which follows.

    We are always faced in these readings with the concept that cells and organs and tissues, systems of the body, all have consciousness.  Apparently this consciousness is an awareness of conditions that exist within the rest of the body.  Typical of the activities seen as existing within the body - very much like conditions as might be seen in a city or a state or a nation - are those found in 5575-1 where leukocytosis accompanied disturbances in the functioning organs of the body.  In this case the excess numbers of white cells have "been created to meet the needs of the conditions." The needs apparently were recognized and what we usually call trouble - leukocytosis - is represented here as an attempt to correct the imbalance of the body.  Later in the same reading a fullness was described as having been "created in the circulatory system, attempting to meet the needs of the condition." It would appear that the lymphatic tissue in all portions of the body and the bone marrow centers of white blood cell production act as units with some sort of central awareness and control.

    The function of the lymphocytes (5697-1) might be more obvious when they are deficient, "for they are called on often to rebuild, especially in the cell force having to do with the action of the nerve centers." This is pointed up a bit differently elsewhere (4790-1) in there being "not sufficient then of those elements in the system to give the needed white blood or the leukocyte forces to meet the needs in coagulation in the system."

    Other references in the readings indicate that the Peyer’s patches are a principal supplier of lymphocytes to the small patch-like areas of lymphatic tissue within the autonomic ganglia where connection and coordination is maintained between the autonomic nervous system and the cerebrospinal nervous system - the unconscious and the conscious minds.  These Peyer's patches are also centers of assimilation of various substances including vitamins.  These are taken then through the bloodstream to the glands and used as energies in the process of coagulation.  Coagulation is the rebuilding of cells throughout the body.

    It is interesting that in case [4182], Cayce indicates that there are disturbances in the Peyer's patch area with a deficiency occurring in the white blood cells, apparently the lymphocytes.  Coagulation, however, takes place in the system with exertion.  This would indicate that activity of the muscles and the bone centers of cell reproduction would bring about an activity within the system which is normally supplied by the lymphocytes.  In this individual, asthenia was the diagnosis and an easily fatigued condition came about from either physical or high mental exertion.  This was from weakness within those cellular forces associated with the lymphatic rather than bone marrow centers.  Here in [4182] the Peyer's patches were overactive and produced too much lactic fluid but not the white cells associated with it.  This produced an alkaline condition within the body.  In [3279], on the other hand, a case of tuberculosis, there was also a leukopenia but not the associated overactivity of the Peyer's patches.  Thus here an acidity developed within the system.

    It appears that the Peyer's patches are a focal point of control and influence within the defense forces of the body.  A third condition is found in [5580], diagnosed as renal calculus, with associated high white count.  The primary pathology here was a toxic condition throughout the Peyer's patches - described as a lack of coordination in the Peyer's patches, creating all manners of troubles.  Accumulation of toxic products through the whole system gradually created a toxicity in the ascending colon and the hypogastric nerve plexus.  This finally affected the kidneys and bladder and gradually produced the condition.  These comments given many years ago are interesting in view of most recent findings concerning the functioning of Peyer's patches.

    A tentative generalization might be made here regarding deviations from the normal white count.  A decrease in the lymphocytes particularly or in the total white count might well indicate a lack of assimilation in its proper activity to produce those substances necessary for cellular rebuilding and maintenance of balance within all the cells in the body.  An increase in white blood cell count or leukocytosis, on the other hand, could indicate a building up of toxins with a reaction from the cells which would rebuild and keep things normal as they attempt to meet the increased liability incurred to all of the cells through the accumulation of toxins, waste, used and refused energies in the body.

    The actual production of leukocytosis can be traced much like the events that lead up to a conflict between countries.  In case [18] the primary incoordination which came about between the eliminating and assimilating systems created an accumulation of drosses in the system and toxic forces, plus a disturbance in the circulation of the liver.  This disturbed hepatic circulation and inadequate liver function in turn brought about an impoverishment of the blood supply and more drosses added to the circulation.  In the lower hepatic circulation, the kidneys attempt to function where there should be more activity of the liver.  This in turn causes indigestion and a strain and stress in the area of digestion and assimilation with reflexes to the nerve centers, controlling these which then became overtaxed in their functioning.  These in turn produced low pulsations of nerve energy and thus came a call to the bloodstream to meet the needs.  A strange story perhaps, but one that demonstrates the interrelations of dynamic functions and physiologic activities.

    Therapy for leukopenia or leukocytosis should be aimed at the particular condition which is dominant.  There are several interesting suggestions in therapy to be found in this file however. (See 3883-1, 4182-1 and 4790-1.)

[Note: The preceding overview was written by William A. McGarey, M.D. and is excerpted from the Physician's Reference Notebook, Copyright © 1968 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation, Virginia Beach, VA.]