Abstract
“Thorotrast” 20 is a fluid which is said to contain thorium dioxide, 25% by weight, in colloidal suspension and which was developed as an injection medium for clinical pyelo-cystography. Kadrnka 1 also administered the drug intravenously in man and animals and found that the thorium was taken up by the liver and spleen in such quantity as to render these organs radiopaque and plainly visible in the roentgen-film. He formulated a routine method for the purpose which required total dosage of 0.8 to 1 cc. per kg. body weight, given in fractions on several consecutive days. He saw no ill effects from this in most cases—in man occasional vomiting, and once in rabbits persistent hemoglobinuria. The only alterations in the blood were slight transient anemia and leukocytosis, although changes in coagulability were apparently not sought. Except for the presence of granules, believed to be metallic thorium, in the reticulo-endothelial cells of the liver and spleen, no gross or minute lesions were discovered. We are studying further the action of this drug in laboratory animals and report production of a purpuric disease.
Eight rabbits were used. Four were given intravenous injections of “Thorotrast”, 0.5 cc. per kg., on 2 consecutive days, and 4 were given larger doses. Three of the latter received a single injection of 3 cc. per kg., and the fourth received 3 cc. per kg. each day for 3 consecutive days. Three of the first 4 and 2 of the second had blood tests immediately before the initial injection and again 4 to 6 hours after the last injection, consisting in determination of bleeding time and clotting time, volumetric measurement of the thrombocytic content of the blood, and observations of clot contractility.
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