Chemical and Pathological Changes in Aging and after Retarded Growth

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Abstract
Rats that had been retarded for periods of 300 to 1000 days were used for studying the chemical and pathological changes that accompany aging. The calcium of the eyes was found to vary from 34 to 1078 mg.% on a dry basis. Most of this calcium is deposited in the eyes after an age of about 900 days. The calcium of the eyes is not correlated with either changes in the bones or with the calcification of other tissues. The teeth of the rats were studied by means of the x-ray. Even at very advanced ages a few animals had intact teeth. About a fourth of all the teeth examined were carious or missing. Females exhibited more damage to their teeth than males although these females never reproduced. A number of cases with bad infections extending into the jaw bones were found. The calcification of the costal cartilages was followed by means of the x-ray. This calcification was much more marked in normal animals than in those of the same age that had been retarded in growth. X-ray photographs of calcified kidneys, hearts and aortas are included. The calcification of the aorta is found to have a much higher incidence among retarded animals than among normals. Indirect evidence indicates that retarded animals are less susceptible to lung disease when a year of age than the normals. Limited evidence also indicates a lower incidence of tumors in retarded animals.

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