Experimental nephritis in Rabbits. 



13 



severe lasting renal lesions in guinea pigs with chromates, prob- 

 ably because in these animals the chromates are too toxic in 

 a general way and too slightly effective on the kidneys locally. 



9 (618) 



Experimental nephritis in rabbits by subcutaneous 

 injections of chromates. 



By W. OPHULS. 



[From the Pathological Laboratory of Cooper Medical College and 

 Stanford University.] 



Rabbits are relatively more susceptible to the action of chro- 

 mates than guinea pigs. Animals of from 2,000-2,500 gm. in 

 weight sometimes die after the injection of two centigrams of 

 bichromate of potash. The acute renal lesions produced by large 

 sublethal doses are much more marked than those found in guinea 

 pigs under similar conditions. There is marked albuminuria, 

 much degeneration, necrosis and desquamation of the epithelium 

 and abundant formation of casts of different kinds. The extreme 

 lesions which may develop after a while as a result of crowding 

 of large doses were described by me in 1908, 1 but they do not 

 necessarily follow even repeated administration of large doses. 



Fifty animals were experimented upon. The dosage varied 

 between two centigrams and two milligrams. Some of the 

 animals were kept alive for a year or more. So far as epithelial 

 lesions are concerned the experiences are similar to those in guinea 

 pigs, except that the epithelial lesions became more severe and 

 seemed to continue longer after the last injection. Very marked 

 interstitial lesions were observed at times, but they resemble 

 those observed spontaneously 2 so closely and occurred so irregu- 

 larly, sometimes soon, sometimes late after the administration 

 of various doses and sometimes not at all, that any definite con- 

 clusion of their relation to the injections could not be arrived at. 



Hearts and bloodvessels remained normal in all animals. 



1 Ophiils, " Some interesting points in regard to experimental chronic nephritis," 

 Journ. Med. Res., 1908, xviii, 49. 



2 Ophiils, /. c. 



