Studies on Irradiated Animals,III. Effect of Saline on Radiation-Induced Mortality and Weight Changes. ∗

Abstract

Summary

1. Daily injections of .3 cc of .9% NaCl solution into mice of 22 g ± 15% body weight subsequent to the exposure to X-ray doses representing the LD₆₀/14 days and LD₃₀/14 days for periods of 14 and 6 days respectively caused a delay in the development of the mortality produced by these X-ray doses. 2. While the 14-day administration of saline produced a slight but statistically not significant increase of the X-ray-induced mortality rate, the 6-day administration resulted in a statistically significant decrease of the mortality rate in mice exposed to the LD₆₀/14 days. 3. The saline-induced change of X-ray mortality was also reflected in the weight curve of the animals.