THE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO RADIATION AND TO RADIOMIMETIC CHEMICALS 



Another type of compound Myleran 1 : 4-dimethanesulphenyloxybutane 

 CH3SO2 . 0(CH2)40 . SO2CH3 (Haddow and Timmis« ; Galton'^ )has already 

 proved of very considerable interest in the clinical treatment of myeloid 

 leukaemia. Compounds of both these types are being studied as part of a 

 general investigation of the growth-inhibitory action of carcinogens (Elson 

 and Warren « ; Elson ^) and the growth curves of rats treated with Myleran 

 and other members of the series were found to resemble in many respects 

 the curves shown in response to whole body X-irradiation. An investigation 



-2 2 'i- 6 



Figure 3. Weight and Blood Response to Myleran 



10 12 n 76 T8 20 22 2f- 26 28 



day 



of the blood changes in relation to the phases of weight response, similar 

 to that described for X-radiation, has therefore been carried out for Myleran 

 and for the nitrogen mustard derivative CB 1348 (Elson^°). 



ClCH2Gri 

 C1CH,CH 



(CH2)3COOH CB 1348 



Myleran — In studying the weight response to Myleran the striking similarity 

 in behaviour of some rats to that often observed after X-irradiation was first 

 noticed in the delayed weight drop which occurred at about 12 days 



238 



