Effect of Oral Terramycin Prior to Whole Body X-Radiation.

Abstract
Oral terramycin administered for 48 hrs. prior to radiation was effective in reducing the mortality in rats given 660 r of whole body X-radiation. The 30-day mortality for treated animals was 72% as compared to 48% for the control group. The beneficial effect was presumably due to reduction or alteration in the intestinal flora which is probably the source of the bacteremia which frequently complicates severe radiation injury.