Blood Transfusion in Irradiation Hemorrhage

Abstract

Among the post-irradiation findings characteristic of near-lethal (LD50-LD100) exposures to ionizing radiation are spontaneous abnormal bleeding and anemia. In 173 X-irradiated dogs, blood transfusion without antibiotics was found to be futile in the treatment or prevention of irradiation hemorrhage. Further expts. with transfusions given to other spp., especially subhuman primates, are urgently needed to discover if this type of treatment can offer hope in controlling X-irradiation hemorrhage in man.