Use of Dried Bovine Hemoglobin Powder in the Anson and Mirsky Methods for Pepsin and Trypsin

Abstract

Male guinea pigs weighing 255 to 585 g. were exposed to 9.48-10.61 total body r/min. in a rotating irradiation chamber; total dosage was 200 r. Total and differential leucocyte counts, coagulation times by the capillary tube method, and body wts. were determined twice weekly until irradiated animals showed signs of recovery; 66 controls and 64 irradiated animals were used. The avg. lethality of the irradiation was 62.5%. Lymphocytopenia and granulocytopenia developed after the 3d postirradiation day, and recovery was not evident until the 14th day. Absolute values provided a better measure of changes in blood picture than did relative values, the latter frequently indicating no change when absolute values indicated a decrease of 50%. Throughout the period of greatest depression, 5-14 days postirradiation, there was a definite shift to immature forms in the differential count, and in all animals the lymphocytes showed faster recovery than the neutrophils. From the 16th day neutrophils showed higher absolute and relative values than at the beginning of the expt., while the lymphocytes showed decreased values. Coagulation times rose from an avg. value of 146 sec. before the exposure to 223 sec. by the 9th postirradiation day; there was a contributing decrease in platelet count. Autopsied animals showed serious intestinal damage. Guinea pigs apparently respond to X-irradiation in a manner similar to other animals.