Toxicity for White Rats of Elements Implanted into their Subcutaneous Tissues. ∗

Abstract

With the view of observing the host response to various elements, the author has implanted such substances over the ribs of white rats anteriorly. The animals were anaesthetized with ether, a half inch incision made, the skin dissected up for a short distance, the element placed in position and the skin edges secured by skin clips, The whole procedure required less than 10 minutes and the clips were very effective. The following elements were used: aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, boron, bromine, cadmium, calcium, carbon, cerium, chromium, cobalt, columbium, copper, erbium, gold, iodine, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, magnesium, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silicon, silver, sodium, sulphur, tantalum, tellurium, thallium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, zinc and zirconium. Of the above elements only 2 proved fatal for the white rat—thallium and phosphorus, death occurring within 48 hours. This is in accord with the characteristics of the latter 2 elements, both thallium and the white phosphorus being poisonous. On autopsy, however, some of the phosphorus still glowed on being exposed to the air, showing that the absorption of the phosphorus was not rapid. The rats which survived were examined 7 and 30 days after implantation, and portions of tissue adjacent to the implantation were taken for histological examination. No marked reactions were noted around the implantations of aluminum, barium, beryllium, bismuth, boron, calcium, carbon, cerium, columbium, erbium, gold, iron, lead, magnesium, mercury, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, silver, tantalum, tellurium, tin, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, zinc and zirconium.

A large ulcer was noted in the case of titanium and a small ulcer in the case of bromine and potassium. Induration around the implantation was noted in the case of sulphur, antimony, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, sodium and lithium.