SOME EFFECTS OF RADIUM RADIATIONS ON WHITE MICE. 



By KAXEMATSU SUGIURA and GIOACCHIXO FAILLA. 



{From the Harriman Research Laboratory, The Roosevelt Hospital, and Memorial 



Hospital, New York.) 



(Received for publication, December 23, 1921.) 



It is well known that radium rays, as well as x-rays, are capable of 

 affecting the living cell. Bergonie and Tribondeau^ from extensive 

 experimental studies made the generalization- '^ that: "Immature cells 

 and cells in an active state of division are more sensitive to the x-rays 

 than are cells which have already acquired their fixed adult, morpho- 

 logical or physiological characters. "^ Subsequent observations have 

 resulted in the extension of this generalization to the effect of radium 

 radiations as well. For this reason the mice of the experiments de- 

 scribed in the present paper were exposed to radium rays soon after 

 birth and during the period of rapid growth. 



Experimental. 



The body weight of mice at birth and their subsequent rate of growth 

 are influenced by many factors. It is essential, therefore, that con- 

 trol experiments be carried out with animals as nearly as possible like 

 those treated; and that external conditions be identical for both groups 

 during the period of observation. The age, physical condition, and 

 body weight of the mother, the length of the gestation period, the 

 size of the litter, and its position in the litter series affect the inital 

 weight of mice and their growth. Accordingly, a litter of young was 

 divided into two nearly ecjual groups of both sexes; one to be exposed 

 to radiation and the other to be used as control. The method devised 



' BergoniC', J., and Triljondcau, L., Compt. rend. Aaul., 1906, c.vliii, 983 

 ^Colwell. H. A., and Russ, S., Radium, .\-rays, and the living cell, London 



1915, 253. 



' Beclere, M., Coltentol, P., and Laborde, S., Radiologie and radiumtlurapiLv 



Paris 1921, 223. 



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