Abstract
Cultures of the mesenteric lymph node of adult rabbits were exposed to the type of radiation usually used for treatment of lymph nodes. The high voltage therapy machine at the University Hospital was utilized.
The water cooled X-ray tube was run with a current of 30 milliamperes at 200 K.V. A focus-surface distance of 50 cm. was used. The filter used in the preliminary experiments consisted of 1/4 mm. copper plus 4.6 mm. aluminum (the aluminum in the ionization chamber).
The preliminary experiments consisted of cultures radiated with 1, 2, 4 and 8 erythema doses (800, 1600, 3200 and 6400 roentgens).
It became evident that higher doses were required to get the effects desired on the most resistant cells present.
The distance could not conveniently be reduced since it was desired to keep the cultures in a thermostat. In order to cut down the time of exposure the copper was removed from the filter, leaving the 4.6 mm. aluminum. The radiation was continued for 145 min. The absorption in the glass vessels was about 5%. With this taken into account the dose reaching the cultures is about 19 erythema doses or 15,000 roentgens, given at rate of 103 roentgens per min. The half value layer was found to he 0.395 mm. of copper. Under these conditions the radiation is quite inhomogeneous but quite comparable to that used during treatment of patients.
The data discussed here were derived from cultures radiated at this higher dose. The discussion is limited to the cells migrating from the explant as seen in the living preparation.
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