The effect of x-rays on the skin of vitally stained white mice.

Abstract

A unit of x-ray energy for the mouse has been established which could be compared with the human erythema dose. The amount of x-ray which caused total spontaneous epilation was called the epilation dose. It was found to be five to six times more than the human erythema dose. The effect of x-rays on the skin of mice stained with Trypan blue has been studied. It was found that the reaction of the radiated skin in stained and control mice is not markedly different, the sensitiveness of the stained mouse being slightly above that of the control mouse. There was, however, a marked difference between the normal and stained mouse in the time at which epilation began after the radiation. Different radiation times, 80, 70, 65, 60 and 50 minutes were applied. The epilation always occurred earlier in the stained than in the control mice.