Two cases of acute basophilic leukemia, with a special reference to basophiloblasts

The two rare cases with a high fever and anemia as the chief complaints were confirmed to be acute basophilic leukemia on the basis of the following findings, namely, 1) Numerous basophiloblasts and immature basophilocytes were found in the peripheral blood and bone marrow picture, but there were few neutrophils. 2) By the culture of bone marrow in cover-slips the growth type to acute leukemia, these basophilocytes appearing in the growth zone were clearly distinguishable from neutrophils, eosinophils or monocytes by the modus of their movement and cellular structure. 3) In vitro fluid medium culture revealed that blasts decreased in number along with lapse of time whereas immature and mature basophilocytes increased in inverse proportion. Having encountered these two rare cases of acute basophilic leukemia and being able to autopsy one of them, the authors report their case findings and confirm the distinction of basophiloblasts. Judging from these findings, the authors are of the opinion that some modification seems to be in the offering as regard the Naegeli's myeloblast theory.