132 NEUTRON EFFECTS ON ANIMALS 



decreased a-globulin content, an increased /S-globulin content and a slightly 

 decreased 7-globiilin content. 



A typical electrophoresis diagram for the Group B dogs is that for dog 

 B-4 given in Fig. 1. No diagrams are given for the Group A dogs since 

 they all closelj^ resemble that shown in Fig. 2 (A), the electrophoresis 

 diagram for dog C-1 before irradiation. 



JNIuch more striking are the results obtained for the dogs given a very 

 much higher rate of neutron irradiation (Group C dogs). It mil be seen 

 from Table I that with these dogs there are only small differences in com- 

 position between the pre-irradiation plasmas and those obtained 3 daj^s 

 after irradiation was stopped, and the value of the albumin/globulin ratio 

 3 days after irradiation is the same as before irradiation. The plasmas 

 obtained 6 days after the cessation of irradiation, however, have lowered 

 albumin contents and slightly lowered 7-globulin contents, with greatly 

 increased a-globuhn contents and increased /3-globulin and fibrinogen 

 contents, as compared with the corresponding plasma before irradiation. 

 Closer examination reveals the increase in total a-globulin content to be 

 due largely to the pronounced increase in the as-fraction, although the 

 a2- and Q:4-fractions also show tendencies to higher than normal values: 

 opposed to this is the decrease in the ai-globulin values. Of the /3-globulins, 

 the (Si-fraction shows a definite tendency to decrease while the /32-fraction 

 increases, the result being an increase in the total /3-globulin concentration 

 of the 6-day plasma. Further, the decrease in albumin content and the 

 corresponding increase in total globulin content (a, /3, and 7) are shown 

 in the much decreased value of the albumin/globulin ratio for these plasmas. 



A typical series of electrophoresis diagrams for the dogs in Group C is 

 given in Fig. 2 and serves to emphasize the changes in plasma composition 

 described above. 



DISCUSSION 



The similarity of the electrophoresis diagrams and of the values of the 

 albumin /globulin ratios for the Group B dogs to those of the Group A dogs 

 is indicative of the very slight effect, if any, which relatively low neutron 

 doses, even though continued for a prolonged period, have on the general 

 health of the animals. The deviations from the normal values show^n by 

 dog B-7, which received considerably more irradiation than the other dogs 

 in this group, indicate that a prolonged irradiation using a sufficiently 

 large daily dose will result in disturbances in the blood protein balance. 



The 400 n of irradiation given over a 4-day period (three daily doses of 

 115 n followed by one 55-n dose) caused a much greater plasma disturbance 

 and had a much greater general effect on the animal than did a larger total 



