Abstract
Summary
Cobaltous chloride was incorporated in the diet of rats in the amounts of 0, 10, 20, 40, 70 and 100 ppm of added cobalt for a period of 19 weeks prior to whole-body x-irradiation and 6 weeks after. The various degrees of polycythemia which were thereby induced were measured indirectly by measuring the increases beyond the normal in hemoglobin concentrations. The ratio of the increase in hemoglobin concentration in each polycythemic group to the normal increase in 14 weeks was found to be directly proportional to the logarithm of the concentration (expressed in ppm) of added dietary cobalt. The rats with cobalt-induced higher concentrations of hemoglobin had an increased average rate of mortality after receiving 750 r whole-body x-irradiation? rather than a decreased rate, as compared with similarly irradiated control rats. Measurements of mucoprotein concentrations in the plasma revealed no significant differences between the various groups before irradiation, nor substantial changes at 48 hours after irradiation.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.