322 V. N. TARUSOV 



reactions of a different kind. Radiochemical investigations have shown 

 that oxidizing reactions occur mostly in biogenic compounds, especially 

 in water solution, but some investigations show that even under these 

 conditions there develop non-oxidizing reactions with a high ionic 

 yield, not affected by oxygen and protective substances. A limited 

 protective action of the inhibitors with anti-oxidizing properties is due, 

 perhaps, to the interaction of two, probably independent reactions of 

 an oxidizing and non -oxidizing character, develophig at different rates 

 on different substrates. At present the best criterion of protective 

 action is the survival of the organisms. It can be produced by various 

 primary and initial reactions. 



The prevailing role is played by those that can most rapidly lead to 

 such secondary changes that l)ring about a lethal outcome. If we want 

 to draw a scheme of two independent reactions we have : reaction A, 

 a non-oxidizing, but rapid reaction, with a low ionic yield ; and reaction 

 B, oxidizing in its character, with a higher ionic yield, but slow, with 

 a considerable inculcation period. The task is to establish the statistical 

 law of the lethal outcome of these two reactions in connection with the 

 regime of irradiation. With minimal doses and no density of ionization 

 it is more probable that reaction B will luring about the lethal outcome 

 at a later date and a considerable number of organisms will pass 

 through the earlier reaction A which will produce fewer chemical 

 changes below the critical threshold. At a higher density of ionization 

 reaction A will be more rapid and will cause damage bringing about the 

 lethal outcome. 



At present not enough data on non-oxidizuig reactions playing a 

 part in primary processes are available, as these reactions are masked 

 by other processes. However, one group of the so-called autolytic re- 

 actions, whose nature has been insufficiently studied has attracted 

 attention. 



It has been established (Benevolensky, 1960) that homogenates of 

 the liver of irradiated rats, already in the early stages are able to split 

 unsaturated fatty acids with a non-haemolytic action from a centri- 

 fugate of the liver inactivated by heating. 



This does not apply to homogenates of non-irradiated animals, but 

 the reaction occurred if the liver homogenates of normal animals sub- 

 jected to autolysis were addded. 



It has been also estalilished (Burlakova. I!)6(») tliat already in the 

 early stages the tissues of irradiated mice, whose electric properties did 

 not differ from those of normal animals, with time fail to polarize the 

 electric current, as opposed to control animals in wliich this process is 

 slow. In irradiated animals autolysis is slower than in normal. It has 



