Abstract
Summary and conclusions
Total body exposure to 250 and 350 r reduced the resistance of mice so that animals injected 7 days after irradiation succumbed to approximately one-half the amount of C. septicum toxin which was required to kill non-irradiated control mice. Antitoxin given intramuscularly 6 days after irradiation, and one day before challenge with toxin, protected the life of both irradiated and control mice. Irradiated mice required from 1.1 to 2.2 times more antitoxin for their protection than did control animals. The increased antibody requirement of irradiated mice could be explained by the enhanced susceptibility to toxin of these animals. The results indicated that exposure to severe doses of X-radiation, in spite of its effects on capillary permeability, apparently fails to significantly raise the minimum amount of antibody required for effective antitoxic prophylaxis.
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