Treatment of Secondary Disease in Radiation Chimaeras

Abstract

The influence of addition of cereals and aureomycin to the diet and of injections of vitamin B12 on diarrhoea and delayed death of radiation chimaeras (mice treated with rat bone marrow) was investigated. It was found that aureomycin markedly suppressed diarrhoea and mortality in C57BL and F₁ (CBA × C57BL) mice and that cereals had the same effect in CBA mice. Aureomycin was less effective in CBA mice and cereals were less effective in C57BL and F₁ hybrid mice. In a number of experimental groups the distribution of true chimaeras, partial and total reversals, was recorded. The beneficial effects of aureomycin and the supplement of cereals are not mediated by the induction of reversals.