51 



lethal doses of X-rays, we obtained a comparison of acetylation by the livers of 

 normal and irradiated rats. With this procedure there was no effect of X radia- 

 tion on acetylation. Fifty percent of the administered dose of sulfanilamide was 

 excreted as the acetylated derivative in both the normal and irradiated rats. 

 Therefore, it appears that the coenzyme A level is not reduced, and Bacq's 

 suggestion that mercaptoethylamine may act by preserving coenzyme A is not 

 supported by our experiments. 



PATT: A similar conclusion has been reached by Thomson in our 

 laboratory. 



COHN: Coenzyme A might be poor some place else. 



DUBOIS: Yes, the acetylation reaction that we studied occurs in the 



liver. 



PATT: But I think his remarks concerned Bacq's suggestion. 



DUBOIS: Yes, the suggestion that mercaptoethylamine exerts part of 

 its protective effect in the liver was the point under consideration. 



