Dogs That Survive "Lethal" Exposures to Radiation

In the course of 2 years' study of the treatment of lethal total-body radiation exposure in the dog a group of 37 survivors was accumulated. The exposures survived were 600 to 1800 r of gamma - or x-ray administered continuously at dose nates of 2 to 18 r/min. The apparently successful treatments used were transfusions in three instances, implantation of allogenic (homologous) marrow in four instances, and infusion of a stored sample of autologous marrow in thirty instances. Surviving animals 6 to 20 months after exposure appear in normal health. Their coats are gray; otherwise their appearances and behavior are normal. Three have been given opportunity to breed and have produced normal offspring. The 4 dogs treated by infusion of allogenic marrow from another dog show continued hematologic evidence of chinaerization. They are males. Their peripheral blood contains segmented polymorphonuclear leukocytes bearing the sex marker of the female. In the one instance determined the blood group also is that of the donor rather than the group originally present in the irradiated animal. (auth)