Abnormal Bone-Marrow Morphology in Acute Alcoholism

Abstract

VACUOLIZATION of primitive rubriblasts in the bone marrow has been found to be a feature of early chloramphenicol bone-marrow toxicity.^{1 , 2} These changes have not previously been observed in other situations. Recently, similar vacuolization of primitive rubriblasts was detected in 2 patients on admission to the hospital with acute alcoholism. They were not receiving chloramphenicol, and there was no history of toxin ingestion other than commercially available alcoholic beverages. Bone-marrow aspirates of 13 additional alcoholic patients were then examined for this abnormality, 9 during the first twenty-four hours in the hospital. The morphologic effect of acute alcoholism on the bone marrow . . .