Effect on Blood Sugar of Direct Irradiation of Blood in Vivo. ∗

Abstract

In a paper previously published 1 one of us described a method of irradiating the blood of etherized dogs by allowing a beam from a special carbon arc to fall on a quartz tube inserted in the carotid artery. By this method a series of studies has been undertaken on the effects of this procedure on blood pressure, 1 on leucocytes, 2 on electrophoretic potential of erythrocytes, 3 on blood uric acid, 4 blood calcium, 5 and CO₂ combining power. 6

It is the purpose of this paper to report the results of this procedure on blood sugar, for the sake of a more complete picture of the effects of such a method of irradiation.

A control series was first run in which the dog was subject to ether anesthesia together with all the operative technic but without irradiation. The first sample of blood was drawn from the saphenous vein before anesthesia. Subsequent samples were drawn from the femoral vein at various intervals. All blood samples were heparinized either in vitro or in vivo. Determinations were made by the method of Tolin and Wu.⁷ The results of the control experiments are shown in Table I.

Another series was made in which irradiation was begun after the second sample was drawn. The results of this series are shown in Table II.

Anesthesia usually produced a progressive rise in blood sugar values. Initial values in the two series ranged between 37 and 130 mg. per cc. In two instances (No. 8, Table I, No. 5, Table II) when the animals had not been fed for two days, the level remained practically constant throughout a period of 95 minutes of anesthesia. In all other cases the figures were distinctly higher within 5 to 10 minutes.