Abstract
Summary and Conclusions
Diphtherial toxins exposed to alkaline reactions produced in the golden hamster, in addition to neurotoxic symptoms, marked disturbances in the heart function as indicated by electrocardiographic abnormalities. Acid-treated toxins on the other hand, did not cause any electrocardiographic changes. The first appearance of the electrocardiographic changes frequently preceded that of the paralytic symptoms, and when sublethal doses were administered, the electrocardiogram remained abnormal even after the neurological symptoms had disappeared. Electrocardiographic examination of the heart function seems, therefore, to be a more sensitive method of measuring the action of certain diphtherial toxins than the observation of the neurotoxic symptoms.
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