1002 BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF RADIATION 



researches," says the author, "we have determined that the respiration 

 of cells both with and without chlorophyll is extraordinarily increased by 

 alpha rays from the emanation." 



Stoklasa, Penkava, and Bar^s, in collaboration (82), refer to the 

 foregoing experimental results, and note that these results clearly indicate 

 a definite relation between the effect of the radiation and the concentration 

 of hydrogen. The stronger the emanation is, the more hydrogen is 

 necessary for the dissimilation process to proceed normally. The alpha 

 rays increase the whole enzymatic process if hydrogen is present in 

 suitable amount. 



The authors state that their hypothesis of a coordinate substitution, 

 rearrangement, and displacement under the influence of the physiological 

 action of the rays of radioactive substances locates these coordinative 

 alterations in the structure of the cell colloids, vs. the increase of the 

 translative motion of the molecules. Just as the radiant energy of 

 sunlight can transform the nonactive coordination of inorganic and 

 organic compounds into a physiologically effective one, so also may the 

 rays of radioactive substances bring about these changes. 



Just as iron, say the authors, acts in its role as a catalyzer of the 

 oxidation of the organism only in its physiologically active form, so is the 

 power given to increase the whole physiological activity of the colloid 

 particles of the cell, through the substitutions and rearrangements in their 

 structure which are called forth by the beta rays which, in consequence of 

 the physiological balance of the organism, accelerate the reduction 

 processes. The result of the influence of the alpha rays is a derangement 

 of the physiological balance in favor of the oxidation processes. If a 

 radioactive element is directly attached to the surface of a colloid particle, 

 the physiological process which accompanies the radioactive beta trans- 

 formation produces a great labilization in the component parts of the 

 cell and thereby strengthens the physiological effect of the beta radiation. 

 Without such a strengthening — for example, when the beta rays enter 

 the organism from without — the number of the beta particles must be 

 incomparably greater in order to call forth the same physiological 

 effect. 



In the gamma irradiation a great resemblance of the photoelectric 

 effect on mineral catalyzers (notably on iron, the catalyzer of oxidation) 

 is combined with the effect of the secondary beta rays on the activity of 

 the colloid particles. As a result, under gamma irradiation the balance 

 of physiological processes is upset simultaneously by two antagonistic 

 processes and the results, in consequence of the balance of oxidative and 

 reducing processes, are not so unequivocal as with alpha and beta 

 irradiations. 



Ingber (38) exposed pure cultures of Actinomyces bovis to a dose of 

 10,575 mg./hr. of mesothorium. The rate of growth was retarded, but 



