296 



Scientific Proceedings (116). 



The real significance of this phenomenon will remain obscured 

 until a clearer insight is gained into the derivation and the com- 

 parative functional significance of the two types of white blood 

 cells. 



The numerical proportion of the lymphocytes and the poly- 

 morphonuclear leucocytes differs in the various animal species and 

 it is therefore of great importance for the ultimate elucidation of 

 the whole problem to test the action of the rays on different species 

 of animals. 



The present investigation consisted in subjecting to the action 

 of radium and x-rays normal frogs and also frogs in whom a change 

 in the white blood cells was induced by a preliminary injection of 



yeast. 



X-raying of Normal Frogs. — The method consisted in taking a 

 total and differential blood count of the animal before the raying. 

 The whole animal was then x-rayed (45 minutes, Coolidge tube, 

 7 ma. 9-inch spark gap, 5-inch focal distance) and blood counts 

 taken at various intervals for four days. The results obtained 

 were as follows. The total leucocyte count showed practically 

 no difference from the normal count before radiation, and the 

 same holds true for the other series of experiments. The dif- 

 ferential count showed a marked change in the numerical relation- 

 ship between the polymorphonuclears and lymphocytes, while the 

 number of the eosinophiles and transitionals remained practically 

 stationary. To cite an instance, — 2 eosin., 14 poly., 84 lympho. 

 changed into 2 eosin., 70 poly., 28 lympho. 



This change was most marked 24 hours after radiation, and 

 the blood usually became normal after about four days. 



Radiumization of Normal Frogs. — The method consisted in the 

 introduction into dorsal lymphsac of a frog of a minute capillary 

 glass tube about 4 mm. long containing from 1.0 to 0.6 millicuries 

 of radium emanation. This method produces a slow and con- 

 tinuous action of the rays of radium on the organization of the 

 animal. The results obtained on the blood were quite analogous 

 to those produced by the x-rays. The important difference, how- 

 ever, consisted in the fact that the numerical difference between the 

 lymphocytes was most pronounced only about three days after the 

 insertion of the radium emanation capillary. For instance, the 



