NEUTRON EFFECTS ON ANIMALS 



31 



60 n died in 12 to 18 days, lost weight continuously after irradiation, de- 

 A'eloped a moderate diarrhea, ate not at all during the first week and only 

 sparingl}^ thereafter, antl at autopsy gave a typical picture of severe emacia- 

 tion. Furthermore, in those animals that died, the leukocyte count was 

 increasing while the erythrocyte count as indicated by l)lood hemoglobin 



TOTAL 

 LEUKOCYTES 



X 10^ 



30 



25 



20 



15 



10 



0NTR0L5 



ISO AND 240 N 



10 



15 

 DAYS 



20 



25 



30 



Fig. lb. Changes in the total leukocyte count from the day of the initial neutron 

 dose for rats receiving 17.5 n to 240 n. 



determinations decreased as death approached. The survivors of the 

 60-n group showed a less severe reaction and ate fairly normally during the 

 last two weeks. Some thymus and testicular atrophy was seen on autopsy. 

 On the other hand, those rats receiving ()2.5 n reacted like those at the 

 lower levels of irradiation in that the loss of weight was less and the leuko- 



