Edelman et al. hove renorted evidence for the existence of a radiotoxin in
irradiated animals.
Similcer experiments were repeated by Campo et al.and no
evidence was found for existence of a toxic effect in serum fron irradiated animais a3 measured by mortality or splenic thymic weight dececase in animals
transfuced with serum obtained from irrccdinted animals.
These experiments do
not support the concept but nesative expesimcents do not eliminate the possibiiity of a radiotozxin.
3.4
~
Rate of Chance in Pericherct Counts.
The rate of chan3e of
various elements in the peripheral biood is re=
lated to the usual life span.of the blood cell.
t.e level of the pacticular celts
in
Henec, the rate of chanse in
the peripheral blood following radiation
injusy, when production is impaired, or ceases, is the resuit of the balance bee
tween the cate of wiilisation end rate of procuction.
Ina the case of the red
blood cell of man, which has a Life suan of cbout 125 dayse-a much lonser life
Span than all of the other formed elements==chanzes in the red bleod cell level
take place at a much slower rate than white colls or piatcicts.
Ia man, if all
sede-celi formation were to cease, there would be a daily deficit of about 0.33
per cent of the total red-cell mann (VWintrobo).
The tucnover of piatciects,
granulocytes and lymphocytes is not tinovm with certcinty.
Piatelets are reported
to bave a 1ife span of perhacs 4 to 5 days (Lowsence and Valentine).
Gzranulocytes
reputedly have a life span of 3 to 5 cays (Adous, Saunders and Lawzence).
Lympho-
cytcs ere reported to be extremely short lived, with a life measured in hours
(Lowrence, Ervin and Wetrick).
Hesilton and Csgood, however, report a life span
for some lymphatic celis of the ozcer of 100 csys
which is not widely accepted,
Except in the high-dose ranges, where cil ko=mntopoictic activity stops, th2 rate
of disapoearance os decrease in the munber of white cells will be slower than the
theoretic rate of utilication.
This ictter wilt be true only if the rate of
4
ad
|
i
t
mom
mam
t
sy
a
as
¢
vn
-
oa
--
utitisation is normal ofters irradiation in the Jcthol range.
nmJ
Irradiation in the